Images

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Agrotis ipsilon - Black Cutworm - Another major crop pest. This species moves into northern parts of North America after overwintering in Texas and Mexico and then pulls off a couple of generations in weedy fields and particularly impacting newly planted corn. Yet another pest that looks rather beautiful when viewed up close.

Black-throated blue warbler, female, collided with a building in Washington D.C. , experimental photo of a stack of 16 pictures....feather detail came out very well, but thumb is pixilly....hard to hold that still that long

Birds regularly collide with buildings. In many instances building collisions can be decreased by turning lights off at night and using non-reflective glass. Sadly both these measures rarely happen. In major cities groups pick up birds that have struck buildings, here is a set of "blue" birds that hit buildings in Downtown Washington D.C.

Jessica Zelt found this small Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest from the previous season on the ground at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center a few days ago. How beautifully made of lichens, hair and spiderwebs. Photograph by Hannah Sutton. 100mm Canon used, with Zerene Stacking software.

Jessica Zelt found this small Blue-gray Gnatcatcher nest from the previous season on the ground at the Beltsville Agriculture Research Center a few days ago. How beautifully made of lichens, hair and spiderwebs. Photograph by Hannah Sutton. 100mm Canon used, with Zerene Stacking software.

A very large Chrysidid Wasp from Kruger National Park, species unknown, Anders Croft photographer.

A very large Chrysidid Wasp from Kruger National Park, species unknown, Anders Croft photographer.

A very large Chrysidid Wasp from Kruger National Park, species unknown, Anders Croft photographer.

Found in a bowl trap at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, this is Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, a rather handsome dung beetle that doesn't eat dung.

Found in a bowl trap at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, this is Bolbocerosoma tumefactum, a rather handsome dung beetle that doesn't eat dung.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

A head of a specimen of Bombus affinis from the tip of Long Island, collected by the fabulous Roy Lantham a Potato Farmer, naturalist, and insect collector. From what I know, Roy (now passed on) was quite the eccentric, but he made very valuable contributions to all sorts of natural history fields from his collections of local plants and animals.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

Still Here. I think this is big news and a big deal. T'ai Roulston and his identification triggerman Skyler Burrows stopped by the lab this week to work on some tricky bee ids and brought this Bombus affinis in from Sky Meadows State Park at the edge of the Blue Ridge in N. Virginia to have its picture taken.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

Bombus affinis, 2018, Tucker County, West Virginia. An Endangered Species. This male was found by Justin DeVault from AllStar Ecology, who with other folks at AllStar, on their own time and dollar, have been surveying bumble bees in the state. Good people, good model, too rarely done, why aren't you doing this? I digress.

The Endangered Bumble Bee. Bombus affinis. The Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee. Here is a a male from Racine Wisconsin collected years ago when this species was one of the most common species. The collector was W.L. Macior and his specimens live in the National Collection at the Smithsonian.