Spiked Bee, Pt. 2 - _TNY_3192S2
Quite uncharacteristically, this male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) sat still more than mere seconds on the hairy leaf of a lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) which allowed me to take more than one photo. This is a two exposure focus stack made using Zerene Stacker.
In this shot, you can sort of see a couple of the five spikes which the male has on the end his abdomen and which are used as weapons to chase of anybody not a female of his species form "his" flower. These have nothing to do with a stinger which is a modified ovipositor and thus something that only females have.
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54078556538/
Spiked Bee, Pt. 2 - _TNY_3192S2
Quite uncharacteristically, this male European wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) sat still more than mere seconds on the hairy leaf of a lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) which allowed me to take more than one photo. This is a two exposure focus stack made using Zerene Stacker.
In this shot, you can sort of see a couple of the five spikes which the male has on the end his abdomen and which are used as weapons to chase of anybody not a female of his species form "his" flower. These have nothing to do with a stinger which is a modified ovipositor and thus something that only females have.
Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54078556538/