Insect Hotel Update

Resin Bee (Megachile ferox)

 

Update from the insect hotel, a Resin Bee (Megachile ferox), had layed her eggs deep in one of drilled holes and was in the process of sealing the entrance when I took this shot.

1/250 - f/7.1 - ISO200 - 50mm + 31mm extension tube.

Beefly, Erstalis tenax

A Beefly, (Erstalis tenax), feeding on nectar from a rose flower.

1/200 - f/5 - ISO64 - macro
 

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

 

A Honey Bee, (Apis mellifera), snapped just as it was landing on a Clover flower.

1/200 - f/8 - ISO100 - macro

Not A Bee - Drone Fly

 

These large Drone flies, (Eristalis tenax), are often mistaken for bees, but are easily distinguished by their larger size and eyes. It is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic.

1/200 - f/9 - ISO200 - +10 close-up filter

Stingless Bee

 

A tiny Australian native stingless Bee, (Austroplebeia australis), collecting pollen from a rose flower.

1/200 - f/9 - ISO200 - diffused flash - reversed 55mm

Bumble Trap

 

A common house spider, (Badumna insignis), has trapped a European bumble bee, (Bombus terrestris), in it's web formed on the leaf of a rose bush.

1/200 - f/11 - ISO100

Fully Loaded

 

This honey Bee has been busy collecting pollen as indicated by the orange coloured buldges on it's rear legs.

1/500 - f/14 - ISO800 - +4 closeup filter

The Honey Bee and The Mint Flower

 

Photographing bees around the garden is a favourite past time. This European honey bee, (Apis mellifera), is collecting pollen from the flower head of mint.

1/800 - f/6.3 - ISO200 - +4 closeup filter