Bee's

[tomscott]

With Bee populations ever declining in the UK, and being such important pollinators. I think really important to do your bit and help them on their way. We found this bee very lethargic, looking sorry for itself. So We put a little honey in a cup and added some water then used a pipette to put a drop on the floor the bee seemed to love it! Sticking its long tongue out, a few minutes later it flew off!

Bee sipping honey and water by Tom Scott, on Flickr

 

[tomscott]

Bee on Lavender by Tom Scott, on Flickr

Bee on Lavender by Tom Scott, on Flickr

 

[d4mike]

I thought I had read bees were recovering from CCD?

 

[tomscott]

The reason for the decline in the UK is that agricultural practises have changed for a more intensive farming system. British fields used to be filled with wild flowers, crops or livestock. This supported a greater diversity of wildlife, since 1940 two species have become extinct and now we're only just realising how important they are as pollinators.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Bees are certainly something very important to the eco system.

 

[YuengLinger]

With Bee populations ever declining in the UK, and being such important pollinators. I think really important to do your bit and help them on their way. We found this bee very lethargic, looking sorry for itself. So We put a little honey in a cup and added some water then used a pipette to put a drop on the floor the bee seemed to love it! Sticking its long tongue out, a few minutes later it flew off!

Bee sipping honey and water by Tom Scott, on Flickr

Bees might be one of the most often attempted but botched subjects in photography. Very difficult to get a compelling shot. As fascinating as they are to see with the eyes, they are, in my opinion, generally the least photogenic of insects.

But, tomscott, you have done something special here. I imagine there was a learning curve.

While it is nice to see a bee hovering near a flower, as photographs go, I think the bee and the flower compete too much for attention, and finding just the right balance is extremely rare. These smaller flowers really work!

 

[Oceo]

I concur on the great importance of bees and I mourn the declining number of them that we see in our suburban garden. Application of neonicotinoid insecticides is perverse in our neighbourhood and likely the cause of the decline in our bee population.

A couple of weeks ago I spent ten days out in the bush of northern Ontario. No farms, practically no other humans, but wildflowers and bees galore! Except for the one caught by the spider.

 

[tomscott]

Thats a fantastic image great capture

 

[Don Haines]

This image is the right way up......

 

[scyrene]

I nearly started a new topic for bees. We need more bees here!

Bee season is just kicking off here. Here's a beautiful female Andrena fulva (tawny mining bee), a fairly widespread species that has to be one of the best-looking. This is a handheld focus stack with ambient light and the 100L macro lens.

 

[Ladislav]

I did this image long time ago (650D + 70-300L, large crop) mostly by chance.

 

[Click]

Very nice picture, Ladislav.

 

[searsie]

Two bees

 

[martinslade]

4 bees

 

[jprusa]

The pollinator

 

[CropFactor]

450D + 28-90mm

 

[dmrrsn1]

Bee and flower

 

[scyrene]

Really cool to see the thread reignite! This queen tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) got lost in my house. I took her portrait before releasing her. First: 9-shot focus stack with 100L, then two closer ones with the MP-E.

 

[neuroanatomist]

"Pollinating the Milkweed"

EOS 7D, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400mm, 1/640 s, f/5.6, ISO 100

"Bumbling the Cohosh"

EOS 5D Mark II, EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 1/640 s, f/9, ISO 1600

I guess it's been a while since I've shot any images of bees, since the only piece of gear I have left from what was used above is the 100L Macro. Not too many flowers open yet, but we're getting there here in New England.

 

[scyrene]

"Pollinating the Milkweed"

EOS 7D, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400mm, 1/640 s, f/5.6, ISO 100

"Bumbling the Cohosh"

EOS 5D Mark II, EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, 1/640 s, f/9, ISO 1600

I guess it's been a while since I've shot any images of bees, since the only piece of gear I have left from what was used above is the 100L Macro. Not too many flowers open yet, but we're getting there here in New England.

Nice shots! Bees are good for when the birds aren't behaving