Sam Droege Collection

Pompilid spider wasp C018 / 4316
Pompilid spider wasp (Pepsis ruficornis), close-up photo. This specimen was found in the Dominican Republic. It is coloured metallic dark blue and purple with yellow antenna

Male bee head C018 / 3568
Male bee head. Close-up photograph of a male bee head (Megachile lanata). This specimen was found in Hawaii. The species was originally from Africa and has since spread to the Caribbean

Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas C018 / 3579
Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas. This species is native to North America and inhabits urban areas. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Darkling beetle C018 / 3565
Darkling beetle. Close-up photograph of a darkling beetle head (superfamily: Tenebrionidae). This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Female blue mud dauber wasp C018 / 4313
Female blue mud dauber wasp (Chalybion californicum), close-up photo. This species is native to North America. It is coloured metallic blue and preys on black widow spiders

Jumping spider C018 / 4312
Jumping spider. Close-up photograph of a jumping spider head and forelegs. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Black horse fly C018 / 4697
Black horse fly (Tabanus atratus), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Female sweat bee head with pollen C018 / 3573
Female sweat bee head with pollen. Close-up photograph of a female sweat bee (Halictus ligatus) covered in pollen. This specimen is native to North America and was found in Pennsylvania

Planthopper C018 / 4803
Planthopper (Rhynchomitra sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Hoverfly C018 / 4696
Hoverfly (Helophilus sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Steel blue cricket hunter wasp C018 / 4314
Steel blue cricket hunter wasp (Chlorion aerarium), close-up photo. This species is native to North America. It is coloured metallic blue and preys on crickets

Wasp, Hoplisoides xerophilus C018 / 4319
Wasp (Hoplisoides xerophilus), close-up photo. This specimen was found in Cuba. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Sharpshooter C018 / 4810
Sharpshooter (Oncometopia orbona), side view photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Sharpshooters belong to the leafhopper family of insects

Jumping spider C018 / 4470
Jumping spider. Close-up photograph of a jumping spider specimen preserved in hand sanitiser solution. This specimen (species unknown) was found in the Dominican Republic

Japanese beetle C018 / 3566
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), close-up photograph. This species originates from Japan but has become a serious pest of plants in the USA

Ground cricket C018 / 4690
Ground cricket, close-up photograph. This specimen (unknown species) was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Female mason bee C018 / 3588
Female mason bee (Osmia texana). Side view photograph of a mason bee. This specimen is native to North America and feeds only on thistle plant pollen and nectar

Hoverfly C018 / 4692
Hoverfly (Eristalis sp.), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Pollen can be seen on the back of the hoverfly

Grasshopper C018 / 4807
Grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguinipes), side view photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Whooping crane feather C018 / 4805
Whooping crane feather (Grus americana), close-up photograph. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab: an organisation dedicated to identifying

Spider wasp C018 / 4318
Spider wasp (Pompilidae), close-up photo. This specimen (species unknown) was found in the San Bernarndino, California, USA. Spider wasps are solitary and hunt spiders

Cuckoo wasp C018 / 4317
Cuckoo wasp, close-up photo. This specimen (species unknown) was found in Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah, USA. Cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae family)

Pygmy grasshopper C018 / 4809
Pygmy grasshopper (Tettigidea lateralis), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Male bee C018 / 3571
Male bee. Close-up photograph of a male bee head (Anthophora affabilis). This specimen is native to the US and was found in Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Harvestman C018 / 4979
Harvestman (Leiobunum flavum), side view photograph. The harvestman belongs to the same class as spiders and scorpions (arachnida). This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Indian hemp beetle C018 / 4686
Indian hemp beetle (Chrysochus auratus), close-up photograph. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA. It has an iridescent blue-green coloured body

Apple bark borer moth C018 / 4806
Apple bark borer moth (Synanthedon pyri) close-up photograph of the head and thorax. The moth is covered with iridescent coloured scales. This specimen was found in Maryland, USA

Female bee head C018 / 3570
Female bee head. Close-up photograph of a female bee head (Megachile lanata). This specimen was found in Cuba. The species was originally from Africa and has since spread to the Caribbean

Female blue mud dauber wasp C018 / 4685
Female blue mud dauber wasp (Chalybion californicum), side view. This species is native to North America. It is coloured metallic blue and preys on black widow spiders

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Meet Sam Droege, a passionate wildlife biologist and photographer who has dedicated his life to capturing the intricate beauty of nature's smallest creatures. With an eye for detail and a love for all things buzzing and crawling, Droege's lens unveils a hidden world that often goes unnoticed. In his mesmerizing photographs, he brings us face-to-face with the Pompilid spider wasp C018 / 4316, its delicate wings shimmering in the sunlight as it hunts its prey with precision. We are then transported to the captivating realm of a male bee head C018 / 3568, where every hair on its fuzzy body is meticulously captured. Droege's lens takes us further into the enchanting universe of insects as we encounter the female bumblebee Bombus auricomas C018 / 3579 covered in vibrant pollen. The Darkling beetle C018 / 3565 showcases its unique exoskeleton while perched on a leaf, reminding us of nature's incredible diversity. As we delve deeper into Droege's collection, we witness the elegance of a female blue mud dauber wasp C018 / 4313 constructing her nest with precision and grace. A jumping spider C018 / 4312 stares back at us with its multiple eyes filled with curiosity and intelligence. The black horse fly C018 / 4697 hovers above water sources like an aerial predator ready to strike while the female sweat bee head adorned with pollen (C018/3573) reminds us of their vital role as pollinators in our ecosystems. Droege captures not only insects but also other fascinating creatures such as planthoppers (C018/4803), hoverflies (C018/4696), steel blue cricket hunter wasps (C018/4314), and Hoplisoides xerophilus wasps (C0818/4319). Each photograph tells a story, revealing the intricate details and unique characteristics of these often overlooked species.