Da killa bees

DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
edited June 29, 2006 in Holy Macro
A few bees from this spring -caught them after it rained so they weren't difficult to get close to. As always: Minimal post processing and no cropping...

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C&C welcome! :):
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Comments

  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2006
    Dalantech wrote:
    A few bees from this spring -caught them after it rained so they weren't difficult to get close to. As always: Minimal post processing and no cropping...

    C&C welcome! :):

    What kind of bees are they that their eyes seem to have patterns?
    You cannot help but be drawn to those amazing eyes.... they seem to be a decent size too, the bees where I live are very small and not "fluffy" like the one you have captured.

    Well done..... very nice indeed clap.gif Skippy (Australia)
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  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2006
    :): great
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  • boogieboogie Registered Users Posts: 553 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2006
    OH MY! I've heard of but haven't the pleasure to view one.

    And the protrusion on it's face...oh goodness. What size are they?

    Great images. thumb.gif
  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2006
    Skippy wrote:
    What kind of bees are they that their eyes seem to have patterns?
    You cannot help but be drawn to those amazing eyes.... they seem to be a decent size too, the bees where I live are very small and not "fluffy" like the one you have captured.

    Well done..... very nice indeed clap.gif Skippy (Australia)

    I think the pattern in the eye is caused by the way the light was reflecting off of them -they have compound eyes like most insects so although it looks like a single eye it's actually composed of thousands of photosites. I'm not sure about bees, but I know the photosite count on a dragonfly's eye is over 30,000...

    I'd estimate them to be about 3 centimeters long -a little over an inch for the non metric types around here :D

    Thanks for the props!
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  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2006
    Awais Yaqub wrote:
    :): great

    Thanks Awais!
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  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited June 29, 2006
    boogie wrote:
    OH MY! I've heard of but haven't the pleasure to view one.

    And the protrusion on it's face...oh goodness. What size are they?

    Great images. thumb.gif

    They almost drove me to the point of insanity when I was trying to shoot them -they probably spend less than 2 seconds on any one flower when they are fully active, and they don't like company. There are a lot of different species of bees competing for the nectar in those flowers, plus lizards hunting them at the same time so they keep on the move. I had read somewhere that it's a good idea to go hunting fast moving subjects on cool mornings or right after it rains -they have to dry out and warm up before they can go full throttle. It was an almost perfect day for shooting them -it rained after being sunny and the temperature dropped. I almost didn't take advantage of it, and it turned out to possibly be one of those once in a lifetime shoots...

    The protrusion is called a "proboscis" and it's the equivalent of a drinking straw. The flower is designed to lure bees in to get the nectar at the center and at the same time the bee pollinates the flower (the flower's sexual organs are just above the bee in those shots).

    The bees are a little over an inch -glad you liked them :):
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