Large white flowers of water morning glory (water spinach, water convolvulus, Ipomoea aquatica) on northern corner of Umm Enaig Housing Community near a hospital (Jeri Al Ramli). Al Khor, Qatar, November 14, 2015
Large white flower of Jimsonweed (Datura) in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, May 11, 2009
Large flower of myrtle-leaf milkwort (September bush, Polygala myrtifolia) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, May 1, 2008
Emerging flower from a large head of globe artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus) in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, May 11, 2009
Southern swamp lily (Crinum americanum) in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University, with 6 large white flowers in an umbel and large strap-like leaves. College Station, Texas, July 5, 2008
Large flower of Unicorn plant (devil s claw, Proboscidea loisianica) on roadside of Road 364, north from Little River, with purplish dots and yellow stripes in the throat. Gause, Texas, September 20, 2008
Large flower of globe artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus) in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, May 11, 2009
Large flower head of Artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus), in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, May 14, 2009
Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) on Green milkweed (Asclepias viridis) flower in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, April 13, 2008
Flower of large buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) on a roadside of Meyersville Road. North from Chappell Hill, Texas, September 21, 2008
Large yellow flower of Hooker s evening primrose (Oenothera hookeri) and thick cylindrical ovaries behind it in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, October 21, 2008
Large lilac flowers near All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection (VIZR). Pushkin (former Tsarsoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 25, 2014
Large pink peony flower in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 28, 2017
Rosette of leaves of Astragalus tribuloides with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Large rudbeckia flowers in TAMU Holistic Garden in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 20, 2009
Large bush of Flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata) in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, September 15, 2012
Large yellow flower on a stout erect stem of Hooker s evening primrose (Oenothera hookeri) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, August 26, 2008
Large flower of Caper plant (Capparis spinosa) in area of Uwaynat Bin Husayn (Water Well)d near Simaisma. Qatar, April 18, 2014
Masses of woolly plantain (Plantago ovata) with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Flowers and fruits of spurge Euphorbia retusa in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Close up of flowers of spurge Euphorbia retusa in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Close up of flowers and fruits of spurge Euphorbia retusa in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Woolly plantain (Plantago ovata) with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Large white flowers on cherry like tree in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, May 29, 2009
Large yellow flowers of Hooker s evening primrose (Oenothera hookeri) in TAMU Horticultural Gardens in Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, August 26, 2008
Photographer with large format camera among flowers in Old Baylor Park. Independence, Texas, March 29, 2008
Large pink flowers of mustard family on a forest dumping site east from Kuzmolovo, north from Saint Petersburg. Russia, June 8, 2014
Large white flower of Caper plant (Capparis spinosa) with long stamens in area of in Uwaynat Bin Husayn near Simaisma. Qatar, March 6, 2015
Large yellow flower of Tribulus macropterus var. arabicus in sand near the spring in Maszhabiya (Al Mashabiya) Reserve near Abu Samra. Southern Qatar, January 22, 2016
Astragalus tribuloides with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Distaff-thistle (Atractylis carduus, local names jalwa, laymoony, shuwwaykh) with a flower bud in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Spurge Euphorbia retusa with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Spurge Euphorbia retusa with flowers on gravel soil in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Flowers of rare spurge Euphorbia retusa in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Close up of a flower bud of distaff-thistle (Atractylis carduus) in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Field of woolly plantain (Plantago ovata) with flowers in a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Close up of flowers and a fruit of spurge Euphorbia retusa taken from a large roadside depression near Route 77 to Ras Laffan. Qatar, February 6, 2016
Large flower of false sowthistle (Reichardia tingitana, local name Hawzan or mureer, Hawdhan) in area of Jabal Al Jassasiya, on north-eastern coast. Qatar, February 12, 2016
Tribulus macropterus var. arabicus with a large flower on sand dunes near the spring in Maszhabiya (Al Mashabiya) Reserve near Abu Samra. Southern Qatar, February 26, 2016
Large flower of Tribulus macropterus var. arabicus on sand dunes near the spring in Maszhabiya (Al Mashabiya) Reserve near Abu Samra. Southern Qatar, February 26, 2016
Large yellow flower of Tribulus macropterus var. arabicus on sand dunes near the spring in Maszhabiya (Al Mashabiya) Reserve near Abu Samra. Southern Qatar, February 26, 2016
Large purple peony flower in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 28, 2017
Large violet peony flower in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 28, 2017
Large field of bluebonnet (Lupinus) flowers north from Chappell Hill. Texas, March 25, 2018
Large white and pale lavender-pink flowers of showy beardtongue (Penstemon cobaea) on Moore s Hill Outcrop at FM Road 3090 near Navasota. Texas, April 21, 2018
Large pink flowers of azalea (Rhododendron) in Peter the Great Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 3, 2019
Flowers and seeds of large buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) at Lake Somerville Trailway near Birch Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, October 6, 2019
Large flower of showy evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) on Wildflower Loop Trail in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, March 28, 2020
Large purple and white flowers in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 9, 2017
White flowers of large buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) at Lake Somerville Trailway near Birch Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, October 6, 2019
Large flowers of winter vetch (Vicia villosa) taken from roadside of FM Road 3090 2 miles north-east from Navasota. Texas, March 13, 2020
Large flowers of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) taken from Lake Conroe on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, July 31, 2020
Side view of a large yellow flower of bull thistle (Cirsium horridulum) on a pipeline clearing in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 24, 2021
Large flower bud of bull thistle (Cirsium horridulum) on a pipeline clearing in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 24, 2021
Large flower of white prickly poppy (Argemone albiflora) at Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, April 4, 2021
Large flower of butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, June 22, 2021
Large flower spike of delphinium in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, April 10, 2022
Large pink hibiscus flower in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, June 5, 2022
Large pink flower of rosemallow (Hibiscus) in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, July 7, 2022
Large asco-spores of flowering fringe lichen (Heterodermia echinata) from a fallen oak twig, collected on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, April 1, 2023
Large red hibiscus flowers in Antique Rose Emporium. Independence, Texas, September 9, 2023
Large flowers of larkspur (delphinium) in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, March 31, 2024
Large leaves and a flower of English sundew (Drosera anglica) in Sestroretsk Swamp near Lenin Trail, north-west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, July 29, 2024
Large, creamy-white petals with a deep crimson/pink center of hibiscus flowers both in natural light and under 365 nm ultraviolet (UV-A) blacklight in Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, September 12, 2025
The ideological complexity of the war s memorialization, dominated by a large red Soviet flag flying prominently over fresh graves, invoking nostalgia for the USSR s military power alongside Russian tricolors and VDV (Airborne Forces) banners. In the foreground, the grave of Arkady Vasilyevich Kovalchuk (1974-2024), who died at age 50, exemplifies the demographic trend of older men bearing a significant share of casualties. The scene is one of dense, vibrant mourning, with mounds of artificial flowers covering the raw earth, set against a backdrop of modern commercial buildings that anchor the cemetery in the contemporary urban landscape. "Alley of Heroes" at Cemetery of the Victims of January 9, St. Petersburg, Russia, October 4, 2025
Several rust-colored, spiky-bodied ants can be seen navigating the deeply furrowed bark of an oak tree, acting as a miniature logging crew. Some of the ants are carrying entire green, beaded oak catkins--the tree s string-like flower clusters--while one prominently hoists a freshly cut, bright green section of an oak leaf in its jaws. The ants carry these heavy loads hoisted high over their heads, a posture that resembles someone carrying a sunshade. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a highly destructive but fascinating native species also known as the "town ant" or "parasol ant" due to their unique carrying technique. They climb high into the canopies of oaks and other trees to use their powerful, scissor-like mandibles to slice away fresh foliage, preferring new, tender, high-water-content growth like young leaves and spring catkins. Working in massive, organized trails, a large colony can entirely strip the leaves from a small- to medium-sized tree in a single night, and they frequently travel hundreds of feet from their underground nests to find a suitable harvest. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
A miniature procession of rust-colored ants traverses the deeply grooved, dry bark of an oak tree. In the center foreground, one ant acts as the focal point, hoisting a freshly cut, bright green slice of an oak leaf high above its head. Because the leaf fragment curves directly over the ant s body like a small green canopy, it perfectly illustrates why this species is often nicknamed the "parasol ant". Surrounding this central figure, three other ants march in the same direction, each carrying large, beaded green oak catkins gripped tightly in their mandibles. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a native species famous for its highly organized and destructive foraging behavior. Working in massive, coordinated trails that can span hundreds of feet, worker ants climb into the canopies of oaks and other trees to systematically slice away fresh, tender vegetation. The workers possess powerful jaws capable of cutting through leaves and flowers with remarkable speed, allowing a large colony to completely strip the foliage from a small tree in a single night. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
