Our two apricot trees burst into flower yesterday and with blooms, the pollinators arrived in force. I found 4 species of bees including this cellophane bee (Colletes inaequalis) which was feasting on nectar and pollen. These native bees nest in burrows and line the walls of their nests with a cellophane-like coating which waterproofs and stabilizes the burrow.
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D500 105mm f2.8 micro (1/500 sec at f16, ISO 1000, natural light) Topaz DeNoise, Levels, Shadows & Highlights, Brightness & Contrast.
Is this a composite?
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Jim, this is a very nice look at this bee. I always enjoy learning from you about the insects, the names, and even, as in this case, how they got their name. Wonderful details in the bee and the flower. The nice smooth background makes the subject stand out nicely. Our blooming trees/bushes are all out of bloom at the moment, so not too much to attract the bees and butterflies. Hopefully soon the flower garden will give them something to feed on. Great shot.
Wonderful, Jim. Great detail in both the bee and the flower bud. As @Shirley_Freeman mentioned, I really appreciate all the information you’ve included. Nicely done.
She’s gorgeous. Wild bees, especially non-hive builders, are becoming more and more important as we realize their roles in both wild and domestic plant pollination. We have similar populations here in Wisconsin and I always love seeing them. And tell me so I can be jealous - do you get fruit from your apricot trees or do critters get it all?
Thank you @Kris_Smith@linda_mellor@Shirley_Freeman for your critiques comments. The first year that we had apricots, the orioles managed to spear most the fruit. I will try to use kaolin clay which coats the fruit and bugs and birds don’t seem to go after the fruit. Normally, we get a nasty freeze and it wipes out these early bloomers.
Nice one Jim. This bee posed nicely for you with this great comp. The color background fits very well here with the overall color. We are just seeing flowers blooming in Arizona but not a lot. However, insects are coming out so hope to be out more.
Jim…What I love in this image is how you used the flower to diffuse light that’s falling on the bee.
In this kind of situation, I would have messed the exposure.
Beautiful work
