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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.

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Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back
Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back
Cassida rubiginosa, larvae, talbot, md, back

Hold Poo Over its Body - Yep, this is Cassida rubiginosa the Thistle Tortoise Beetle brought over here to fight the Canada Thistle, which is not actually from Canada, but just another example of how we try to bring Canada down by associating it with Alien Pests.

Hold Poo Over its Body - Yep, this is Cassida rubiginosa the Thistle Tortoise Beetle brought over here to fight the Canada Thistle, which is not actually from Canada, but just another example of how we try to bring Canada down by associating it with Alien Pests.

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Caulophyllum thalictroides 2, Blue Cohosh flower
Caulophyllum thalictroides 2, Blue Cohosh flower
Caulophyllum thalictroides 2, Blue Cohosh flower

I don't run into the Blue Cohosh often, but want to say that it is fly rather than bee pollinated...but could easily be wrong. Certainly a woodland understory plant that blooms after much of the bee activity is done with. Picture and specimen from Helen Lowe Metzman.

I don't run into the Blue Cohosh often, but want to say that it is fly rather than bee pollinated...but could easily be wrong. Certainly a woodland understory plant that blooms after much of the bee activity is done with. Picture and specimen from Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Caulophyllum thalictroides 3, Blue Cohosh flower
Caulophyllum thalictroides 3, Blue Cohosh flower
Caulophyllum thalictroides 3, Blue Cohosh flower

Blue Cohosh. A close up of one of the flowers of Caulophyllum thalictroides. A lovely spring perennial of rich deciduous woodlands. Picture and specimen taken by Helen Lowe Metzman. Howard County, Maryland.

Blue Cohosh. A close up of one of the flowers of Caulophyllum thalictroides. A lovely spring perennial of rich deciduous woodlands. Picture and specimen taken by Helen Lowe Metzman. Howard County, Maryland.

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Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, back
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, back
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, back

A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

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Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, face
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, face
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, face

Note the unique tongue shape, characteristic of this group of bees. A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

Note the unique tongue shape, characteristic of this group of bees. A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

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Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, side
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, side
Caupolicana electa, f, ga, baker, side

A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

A bee of the early morning. Matrinal. Restricted to the southeastern United States deep sand spots where it feeds only in the early morning hours. Very uncommonly recorded now but this one was collected by Sabrie Breland in residual burned longleaf pine lands of Southeastern Georgia.

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Caupolicana fulvicollis, back, u, Central chile
Caupolicana fulvicollis, back, u, Central chile
Caupolicana fulvicollis, back, u, Central chile

Collected by one "E.P. Reed" probably about 100 years ago in Central Chile this is from an orphaned collection of bees from the Smithsonian. While in the process of returning we are taking a few pictures of some of the more interesting bees. This is Caupolicana fulvicollis.

Collected by one "E.P. Reed" probably about 100 years ago in Central Chile this is from an orphaned collection of bees from the Smithsonian. While in the process of returning we are taking a few pictures of some of the more interesting bees. This is Caupolicana fulvicollis.

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Caupolicana fulvicollis, cool shot, u, Central chile
Caupolicana fulvicollis, cool shot, u, Central chile
Caupolicana fulvicollis, cool shot, u, Central chile

Collected by one "E.P. Reed" probably about 100 years ago in Central Chile this is from an orphaned collection of bees from the Smithsonian. While in the process of returning we are taking a few pictures of some of the more interesting bees. This is Caupolicana fulvicollis.

Collected by one "E.P. Reed" probably about 100 years ago in Central Chile this is from an orphaned collection of bees from the Smithsonian. While in the process of returning we are taking a few pictures of some of the more interesting bees. This is Caupolicana fulvicollis.

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Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, angle

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

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Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, face
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, face
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, face

Notice, in particular the lobed tip of the tongue in this shot. A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

Notice, in particular the lobed tip of the tongue in this shot. A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

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Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side
Caupolicana gaullei, m, brazil, side

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

A Western Hemisphere group, with a good number of species. These are very fast fliers and, at least the North American species tend to be crepuscular and plant specialists, often associated with sandy/dune areas.

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centepede
centepede
centepede

More experiments. This is a small centipede found under a board in my yard in Upper Marlboro, MD. It is possibly and immature, but am unsure of how to tell. Taken at 10x with our new lens sytem while floating in a cuvette filled with hand sanitizer.

More experiments. This is a small centipede found under a board in my yard in Upper Marlboro, MD. It is possibly and immature, but am unsure of how to tell. Taken at 10x with our new lens sytem while floating in a cuvette filled with hand sanitizer.

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Centris attripes, back, m, Fayette Co, TX
Centris attripes, back, m, Fayette Co, TX
Centris attripes, back, m, Fayette Co, TX

A nice fluffy male Centris attripes from Central Texas collected during a family reunion. Centris are large bumble bee sized bees and as you move into desert and tropical area in the Americas the number of bumble bees decline and the number of often oil using Centris species and the equally large Carpenter bees increase.

A nice fluffy male Centris attripes from Central Texas collected during a family reunion. Centris are large bumble bee sized bees and as you move into desert and tropical area in the Americas the number of bumble bees decline and the number of often oil using Centris species and the equally large Carpenter bees increase.

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Centris decolorata, F, back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, back, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

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Centris decolorata, F, Face, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, F, Face, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, F, Face, Puerto Rico

Second in a Series. Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

Second in a Series. Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

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Centris decolorata, F, face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, face, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

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Centris decolorata, F, Side, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, F, Side, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, F, Side, Puerto Rico

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

close up of image
Centris decolorata, F, side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel
Centris decolorata, F, side, Puerto Rico, St. Isabel

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

Puerto Rico! What a snappy looking bee with its orange, yellow, and glinting blue patterns interspersed with the standard blacks and whites of most bees. How lovely to that this is a bee found in agricultural areas...a sort of Bumble Bee replacement in a land where Bumble Bees don't exist. Collected by Sara Prado in her investigations of agriculture and bees.

close up of image
Centris decolorata, M, Face, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, M, Face, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, M, Face, Puerto Rico

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

close up of image
Centris decolorata, M, Side, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, M, Side, Puerto Rico
Centris decolorata, M, Side, Puerto Rico

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.

Centris...the tropical western hemisphere's answer to the Bumblebee. Bumblebees are absent from the Caribbean but bees of the genus Centris are of the same size and shape and fill the same floral niche muscling their way into large tropical flowers.