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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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Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Another tree flower loving beetle from South Africa this one a buprestid, Acmaeodera virgo. Collected widely in bowl traps and in trees in Kruger National Park. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

Another tree flower loving beetle from South Africa this one a buprestid, Acmaeodera virgo. Collected widely in bowl traps and in trees in Kruger National Park. Photo by Kelly Graninger.

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Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Acmaeodera virgo, u, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Beetles from Kruger National Park in South Africa. This is the start of a series of pictures of insects that come to the flowers in Kruger. This is a project led by James Harrison from S.A. and Jonathan Mawdsley from the U.S. I was lucky enough to come along and do some bee collecting. Interesting system.

Beetles from Kruger National Park in South Africa. This is the start of a series of pictures of insects that come to the flowers in Kruger. This is a project led by James Harrison from S.A. and Jonathan Mawdsley from the U.S. I was lucky enough to come along and do some bee collecting. Interesting system.

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Actaea racemosa, Black Cohosh, Howard County, MD
Actaea racemosa, Black Cohosh, Howard County, MD
Actaea racemosa, Black Cohosh, Howard County, MD

Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa. An interesting flower of midsummer in forest openings. Seems to attract the odd bumble bee and Augochlora pura that linger in the shade. Collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Black Cohosh, Actaea racemosa. An interesting flower of midsummer in forest openings. Seems to attract the odd bumble bee and Augochlora pura that linger in the shade. Collected and photographed by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Aelophilus fasciatus Fly, Face, MD, Beltsville
Aelophilus fasciatus Fly, Face, MD, Beltsville
Aelophilus fasciatus Fly, Face, MD, Beltsville

Nectaring on goldenrod and aster, Beltsville, Maryland. Thanks to Chris Thompson for the identification.

Nectaring on goldenrod and aster, Beltsville, Maryland. Thanks to Chris Thompson for the identification.

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Aelophilus fasciatus, back, MD, Beltsville
Aelophilus fasciatus, back, MD, Beltsville
Aelophilus fasciatus, back, MD, Beltsville

Bee/Yellow Jacket mimic! Nectaring on goldenrod and aster, Beltsville, Maryland. Thanks to Chris Thompson for the identifications.

Bee/Yellow Jacket mimic! Nectaring on goldenrod and aster, Beltsville, Maryland. Thanks to Chris Thompson for the identifications.

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Aesculus glabra, 3, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabra, 3, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabra, 3, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye inflorescence, Howard County, MD, HeLoMetz
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye inflorescence, Howard County, MD, HeLoMetz
Aesculus glabra, Ohio Buckeye inflorescence, Howard County, MD, HeLoMetz

Ohio Buckeye. Aesculus glabra. Nice open understory tree you see more towards the west in Maryland and the Eastern U.S. Attracts a variety of woodland loving bees...in particular Augochlora pura. A nice color match. Picture and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye. Aesculus glabra. Nice open understory tree you see more towards the west in Maryland and the Eastern U.S. Attracts a variety of woodland loving bees...in particular Augochlora pura. A nice color match. Picture and specimen by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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Aesculus glabral, 2, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabral, 2, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,
Aesculus glabral, 2, Ohio Buckeye flr., Howard County, Md,

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

Ohio Buckeye, Aesculus glabra. Buckeye's...one of the nice little acknowledged providers of pollen and nectar in forested environments. Specimen and photos by Helen Lowe Metzman.

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African wasp, f, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African wasp, f, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African wasp, f, back, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

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African Wasp, f, face, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African Wasp, f, face, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African Wasp, f, face, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

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African wasp, f, right, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African wasp, f, right, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga
African wasp, f, right, Kruger National Park, South Africa Mpumalanga

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

Lovely wasp from Kruger National Park. Again, not being a wasp person, I don't know the species. The group may be the sand wasp (Bembicini) . Photos by Anders Croft.

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Afromelecta
Afromelecta
Afromelecta

A series of pictures from Silas Bossert from the National Collection at the Smithsonian. They use their own hi res camera equipment, but prefer a light background. Here we have Afromelecta lieftincki, a nest parasite. While no one has confirmed what this species parasitizes, it is likely given its relatives, that it parasitizes Anthophora type bees.

A series of pictures from Silas Bossert from the National Collection at the Smithsonian. They use their own hi res camera equipment, but prefer a light background. Here we have Afromelecta lieftincki, a nest parasite. While no one has confirmed what this species parasitizes, it is likely given its relatives, that it parasitizes Anthophora type bees.

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Agapostemon coloradinus, F, back, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, back, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, back, Shannon Co., S. Dakota

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.

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Agapostemon coloradinus, F, face, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, face, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, face, Shannon Co., S. Dakota

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.

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Agapostemon coloradinus, F, side 1, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, side 1, Shannon Co., S. Dakota
Agapostemon coloradinus, F, side 1, Shannon Co., S. Dakota

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.

A large bright green with blue overtones Agapostemon from Badlands National Park. One of several species present there and very similar to A. virescens and a bit tricky to tell apart. Photo by Wayne Boo with help from Ben Smith on upping the Photoshopping techniques.