View allAll Photos Tagged bees
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One of the first images I shot with my new Canon 60mm f2.8 Macro lens. Taken in the back garden on a bright summer afternoon. Hmm.
The Lavender in my backyard are in full bloom and attract numerous bees. Western Honey Bees predominate with a few Bumble Bees.
A honeybee in an elbowbush, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, for Beautiful Bug Butt Thursday - HBBBT!
The questions continue...
You might remember this little hole in a fence post at St Cyrus. A few weeks ago, I'd noticed a couple of male leafcutter bees on these posts, so on another visit I looked for nest holes in the posts, and was thrilled to find one occupied hole, but was then surprised to see that it was occupied not by a bee, but by a digger wasp (`Flick' back about 10 images in my stream). Since then, when I've been at St Cyrus, I've keenly looked in on the digger wasp as I passed; it was there every day I checked. Yesterday, after a break of about 6 days, I think, I was back and checked the post to find not the digger wasp but a cute bee in the same hole! Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, so this is a quick snap on my phone.
I'm curious about what's gone on here; could they both be using the same hole?; did the wasp move out naturally, and then the bee moved in?; did the bee evict the wasp?; is one a parasite?; are they both nesting?; was one or both using it as shelter?
I'm also not sure what type of bee this is. The leafcutters I saw (a few photos in my recent uploads) have now been kindly IDd by the expert Steven Falk, as one of the rarer leafcutters, the black-headed leafcutter bee (Megachile circumcincta). This could be a female (according to his book, they usually nest in sandy ground, but have also been reported to nest in wood), but that's a wild guess.
So much to learn :D
This little bee was a bit damp from the rain, it spent a few minutes crawling over the grass, almost falling off a few times.
When the rain started up again I felt sorry for it and moved it to a sheltered spot, hopefully it managed to dry off.
Finally I had some corporation from this little guy, it was feasting and did not want to be bothered (lol) The shot could be clearer, but for me ,
it isn't to bad for the first time, just having a ball with the new camera, thanks for viewing......
While trying to photograph some mining bees (Four Banded Flower Bees) I realised the area was full of these wonderful Bee Wolf Wasps ( Philanthus Triangulum). They prey on honey bees, capturing them for their young. This female is opening the entrance to her tunnel, the gruesome resting place of this bee. Inside will be a number of chambers. Before cleaning the stunned but still alive bee, she coats it in a preservative mix of bacteria and anti-fungal. The wasp will then lay an egg on each bee, one per chamber. When the egg hatches, the grub will feed on the still alive bee keeping it alive as long as possible by eating non vital parts first.
Even more surprising was to see rub-tailed wasps entering the tunnel when the female leaves. This wasp is a cuckoo wasp that consumes the larvae of the host, in this case the bee wolf. Astonishing to watch.
The four banded flower bees were not touched by the bee wolf, instead it seemed that it chased off other wasps so maybe they get some protection by nesting in the same area. Protection from anything apart from the dragon flies which took whatever they fancied including the huge ichneumon wasps that were also in the vicinity. Any insect parts left laying around were cleaned up by the numerous different ant species on patrol.
I searched for an intelligent, mind-expanding quote about bees and found mostly quotes about the Bee Gees and bee's knees. Do you see any knees on this bee?
The off-camera strobe my husband used to photograph this bee did not seem to disturb it after some 20 photos. This bee and others continued to gather pollen as we left. Good stuff, that pollen!
Cooler, windy, and overcast here today. A temporary respite.
I came across this bee hanging out on a butterfly bush. It wasn't moving very much and probably resting. After I came in it changed to a different blossom.
147/365
I put out a plate of sugar water to try to get the honey bees to leave my humming bird feeders alone. Really only succeeded in drawing in more bees!
Here's a fuzzy wee bee fly (family Bombyliidae) in the Mojave Desert this week. I found several of them sleeping in desert dandelion and scale bud flowers. When the flowers open in the morning, at first the flies are groggy and easier to photograph - they soon wake up and zoom off.
Winter has returned with everything here in PA. Many people were saying that winter was over, but not just yet...The temperatures dropped to the 20's again, and it has been snowing on and off since Monday, and it feels just right, it is only march.
Yes, flowers are always welcomed during the winter months, and here is one I took last year of a very busy bee. To take photos of bugs It was a challenge for me when I started photography some years back, but slowly and preparing myself for it became a favorite for mine. With the help of our macro lens we see their amazing work and activities, and they are amazing! Have you seen the smile of a dragonfly? I'm not kidding, it is awesome :)
www.flickr.com/photos/httpwwwflickrcomaquamarinedollsufcp...
Have a great day everyone!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvoXWdVXtjc
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Photography is my passion, and nature photography is my favorite.
I have been in Explore for more that a hundred times, and it is an awesome experience to have your photos showcased in such a special way.
I'm in many groups, and I only add my photos to them if they are not private.
I thank your for coming today, for leaving a comment, and make a favorite of yours this photo, (if that is the case) thanks again!
The best part of this forum is the contacts and friends that I have made over the years, that have the same passion for this art that is called photography!
Martha.
font: Architects Daughter
John Clare
To seek the brimming honey comb
Which bees so long were toiling home
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