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1/500 f/2.8 100.0 mm ISO 400

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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Keywords

black
Canon 100mm 2.8L
Janet Brien
Canon 5D Mark II
Pacific Northwest
Oregon
bumble bee
poppy
blossom
flower
red
California Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa californica
Carpenter Bee


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"EEK!!!" says the Poppy Head, "It's a BLACK BEE!!"

"EEK!!!" says the Poppy Head,  "It's a BLACK BEE!!"
This is one of those lucky pictures where you see the opportunity, aim, take a picture, and the second you do, the critter disappears like it was never there in the first place! :D I didn't actually think it would come out. What a surprise to look at this on my computer and find this bee in mid-air, in crisp focus! WOW! And then I laughed out-loud because the poppy head seems to be very alarmed at the bee! So funny! :D

Thanks to Art (Leapfrog) for helping me to identify this as a California Carpenter Bee! Sure looks like a bumblebee to me but it's not surprising that I'm confused: did you know there are over 20,000 bees in the world?!!

Carpenter bees aren't even close relatives of bumblebees, though they do share the same family. There are over 500 species of carpenter bee compared to 250 species of bumblebee.

From Wiki: These bees get their name from the fact that nearly all species build their nests in burrows in dead wood, bamboo, or structural timbers (except those in the subgenus Proxylocopa, which nest in the ground). If you would like more information about Carpenter bees, Wikipedia has a nice source here: Wikipedia: Carpenter Bee

micritter, , , and 12 other people have particularly liked this photo


7 comments - The latest ones
 Jim Boynton
Jim Boynton
What fun! Great timing Janet! I also got a lucky shot of a fly yesterday (not nearly this good of course) and hopefully it looks postable when I put it on my computer. Fingers crossed.
11 years ago.
 tiabunna
tiabunna club
Great shot, if I had a giant black bee hovering near me I'd be alarmed too. :)
11 years ago.
 Don Sutherland
Don Sutherland club
Great capture.
11 years ago.
 Treasa Ui Cionaodha
Treasa Ui Cionaodha
Stunning capture Janet.
That's Wild!!
Seen in

Wonderful World
of Wildlife!!
11 years ago.
 Rafael
Rafael
*****
11 years ago.
 Pam J
Pam J club
Amazing photo !
11 years ago.
 micritter
micritter
Wow! Absolutely gorgeous colors and fantastic details. Composition and bokeh are also super! And super timing (even though it was accidental).
5 years ago. Edited 5 years ago.

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