Hidden Unseen: Top 40 Detailed Close Ups of Arthropods

An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods include all insects, arachnids, and crustaceans. Their body plan consists of repeated segments, each with a pair of appendages. Their versatility has enabled them to become one of the most species-rich members on the planet.

They have over a million described species, making up more than 80% of all described living animal species. They range in size from microscopic plankton up to forms a few meters long.

The USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program designs and develops large and small-scale surveys and identification tools for native bees. A vital aspect of the program is to create accurate and detailed pictures of native bees as well as the plants and insects they interact with.

On their 1200+ Flickr photostream, the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab (USGS BIML) has uploaded an astounding collection of macro photographs that you can see in full resolution. The detail and clarify is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Hidden Unseen went through all 1200 photos earlier today and compiled our 40 favourites. Be sure to check them out on Flickr to appreciate the volume of work they have shared for the benefit of all visitors.

1. Unknown Wasp