Picture of the week

Longhorn Bee

A native pollinator, the Longhorn Bee as photographed on a sunflower using the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L-series IS macro lens.  While the honeybee is communal, these bees differentiate themselves as being solitary creatures. With the honeybee, work is divided into different tasks based on the role of the bee (worker, forager, queen).  But with this female Longhorn bee, it performs all of these roles.  This includes gathering enough nectar and pollen each day to build a cell, lay an egg, gather enough food for the cell in the form of a nectar ball, and seal it off. As opposed to forming a honeycomb cell to create a chamber for their brood, the Longhorn Bee will find some hole in the ground.

All content and images are property of Stephen Fischer Photography, copyright 2012.  Last updated: 7/17/2012   ()