Chris Illman
Bumble Bee 11
Some more pics of our bees, growing in number daily in the old tit box. I've looked at www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk from which I gather these are bumble bees, and I suspect Buff-tailed bumble bees, though they could be White-tailed or even Early bumble bees which, they say, often nest in old tit boxes, though the colouring seems wrong for these. So I've plumped for the Buff-tailed Bombus Terrestris - let me know if I'm wrong. Lots of pollen going in, so must be good. I've found it quite difficult to get these shots, none of which are stunning, though using the 400mm from 2m away wasn't, perhaps, ideal. At one point I brought my wife's makeup mirror into play, reflecting some light up under the overhanging box lid to get a bit faster shutter speed. Marvellous. Perhaps I'll try to get closer in next time with the 24-70.
Bumble Bee 11
Some more pics of our bees, growing in number daily in the old tit box. I've looked at www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk from which I gather these are bumble bees, and I suspect Buff-tailed bumble bees, though they could be White-tailed or even Early bumble bees which, they say, often nest in old tit boxes, though the colouring seems wrong for these. So I've plumped for the Buff-tailed Bombus Terrestris - let me know if I'm wrong. Lots of pollen going in, so must be good. I've found it quite difficult to get these shots, none of which are stunning, though using the 400mm from 2m away wasn't, perhaps, ideal. At one point I brought my wife's makeup mirror into play, reflecting some light up under the overhanging box lid to get a bit faster shutter speed. Marvellous. Perhaps I'll try to get closer in next time with the 24-70.