A couple of years ago, our neighbors replaced their grass parking strip with a water-wise garden. In addition to a number of other things, they planted four Russian Sages. The garden looks great and I love the sages because they so many attract bees and other pollinators. Don’t think I’ve ever shot this particular leafcutter before. It’s really a neat one.
Tag: Native
Filthy Sweat Bee on the Rock Rose
Finally got a shot on the orange rock rose. Super filthy little sweat bee this time. Light is awful, but the shadow is fun. This particular sweat bee has hair all over her abdomen, too, and she’s just laden. Kind of cannot tell where the flower ends and the bee begins.
Sweat Bee on a Partridge Feather
This is a neat (if not fairly aggressive) ground cover. Most of the year, it’s greeney-silvery leaves, but in the early summer it throws up blossoms like those in the pic. It’s pretty cold hardy (does well to zone 4) and doesn’t take much water. In fact, it doesn’t want much water.
Don’t have very many shots of bees on it because I’m either not paying great attention when it’s in bloom (so much of the rest of the garden is then, too) or it doesn’t throw all that much pollen. So it was neat to see this little sweat bee on it when I was looking for a pic for today.
Odd Focus on a Longhorn on a Sunflower
The depth on this one is so pronounced. Notice where the focus is and where it goes. It’s a little distracting, but it’s pretty compelling, too. Not great art, but surely a study in something (if only the bee’s eye).
Fantastic Profile on a Thistleball
I recall shooting this one. Think it was sleeping. They don’t usually hold still like this. And it turned out to be a fantastic shot. Just love the eyes on these leafcutters. And this is such a compelling flower. Just gorgeous. Wish it lasted longer. From July, again.
Quick Hit: Leafcutter on the Salvia
It’s just a few minutes before midnight and it’s been a long, long day. So here’s a quick one for now – shot in mid-July. It’s a native leafcutter on the salvia. Plenty cute with a great look at her eye.
One More Day…and a Tiny Sweat Bee
Here’s a really, really, really tiny sweat bee on a single ‘mum petal. About the size of a grain of rice, give or take. Really, really tiny. And quite cute.
Rough to try to get focus on this one. Might be able to tell given how much/little of the ‘mum is in focus. But pretty compelling, I think.
A Sweat Bee on a Ratty-looking Chrysanthemum
Late, late, late again. What a day. Missed a funeral I very much wanted to attend. Gallery leased, remodeling begins tomorrow. What a day.
Got to shoot for about ten minutes this afternoon between and among the mess of the day. Manged to get a number of good shots and enjoy myself just a little. In other, sadder news the honeybees were bundled up this evening and are preparing for their journey to the almond groves of California. Can’t wait for spring, and fall isn’t even over yet. Always makes me a little sad to see the bees go south.
But hey, this is a great bee. And one that is going to stick around! Enjoy.
Finally…a Leafcutter…on Lavender
First, I think I’ve got the lease settled for a physical storefront/gallery. That’s exciting. Won’t be all bees, of course, but they will have prominent space.
Second, I got a few today that weren’t on the ‘mums. Here’s a leafcutter (that infamous “abdomen-up” bee) on the second bloom of the lavender. Some shadows, but I really had wondered if I’d had my last good bee day. Was a good one today. Easy to excuse the shadows.
Third, I might have figured out why I’m not much of a fan of chrysanthemums. First, it might be that after Memorial Day in the cemeteries, those in those foil-wrapped plastic pots look nasty and trashy. I realize that they don’t get the water/care that they need, but they strike me as cheap and temporary…and ultimately depressing. Second, they seem to be the cheap (that word again), go-to flower when you’re panicked and in the grocery store. Something that ubiquitous and inexpensive can’t have much value, right? Wow, that was more than any of you asked. Next step: love ’em for what they are. I’ve sure gotten some great pics on them. And they do serve the bees well.
One of my Favorite Faces
This is a metallic green sweat bee coming out of a sunflower. I just love the color, texture, face, and eye(s). Those three little bumps on the top of the head are eyes, too (ocelli-simple eyes – in contrast to the compound eyes on either side of the head). As far as the metallic ones go, I think the metallic mason bees are a bit neater because they’re whole-body metallic. But the face of the sweat bee is just super. The depth of focus is so tough. On one level, I’d prefer that everything were in focus (see also: focus stacking). On another…and my level (given that I shoot handheld, too)…I think it’s better art when focus (and lack of it) is part of the piece. My site, my preference, I guess. Plus you’ve got to kill or incapacitate the bees to do the focus stacking (or use a focus rail…or whatever else one might do in the not-handheld world). Phew. Happy Friday!
