Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
Well, okay then. Normally I look at these large bees and think they almost look cute. They fly along somewhat lazily and are noticeably fuzzy. Up close with a macro lens though? Kind of terrifying in a way. While they are big as far as bees go, I am thankful they aren’t any larger. Haha.
Holy cow! Check out this little green dude. I was out taking pictures in my wife’s flower garden, mainly focusing on “normal” bees. This one landed on a flower next to where I was shooting and its neon green coloring quickly got my attention.
Honestly, I don’t think I have ever noticed them before and to me, it looks more like a wasp or hornet with that big tail.
Anyway, doing some research I learned it is a “metallic green sweat bee”, common in the Western Hemisphere. They build their nests in the ground and are an important pollinator. They get their name because they are sometimes drawn to sweat but they present no more of a threat than most bees.
What to do when you are bored? Head out to your wife’s beautiful flower gardens and see what you can find.
One of the reasons I bought a macro lens was just for occasions like this – photo ops right in my own backyard. I have a lot to learn but am getting better each time I break out the lens.
This little guy was doing what #bees do, pollinating this flower and then moving on to the next.
I do have to give a shoutout to the City of Thornton and their Thornton Water Conservation. Their “H2Overhaul” program provided the incentive for us to do a ton of work on the yard and install these gardens.
The sunflowers are in bloom on the Colorado plains and I of course had to head out and check them out this past Sunday. There didn’t seem to be quite as many fields of them in the usual areas this year and a couple fields looked really anemic. This one though was gorgeous and ablaze in bright yellow beneath our blue skies. A closer look at this one saw a busy pollinator at work. The bee was well-camouflaged with its color scheme closely matching the flower’s.
Our lavender bushes are in full bloom right now and the bees have been taking advantage of the nectar available to them. I don’t have a true macro lens so it is hard for me to capture the intricate detail of insects but I thought this image came out pretty well given my limited gear.
The bees really seem to be enjoying our lavender bushes this year. Kind of fun to just go out and sit and snap a few pics of them as they buzz around. Best of all, no driving to a destination.
