WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY – BIG CYPRESS WMA, FL
Photograph of a Honey Bee at the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Collier County off of Alligator Alley (I-75). The camera gear used in this photo of a Honey Bee was a Nikon D90 body and a Nikkor 60mm 2.8 lens with a macro light ring attached to the lens. Contrary to belief, Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) are quite mellow insects, and don’t attack or sting, unless provoked.
The Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) grows to a length of 5/8 of an inch. Its body is roundish, with a hairy brown thorax, the abdomen being banded black and golden, and wings are dusky. The Honey Bee builds a honeycomb hive in tree hollows. Honey Bees have a complex social system of drones, queens, and workers. Although they will sting, they are not aggressive. The habitat of the Honey Bee is fields and orchards.
Honey Bee at Big Cypress WMA http://bit.ly/mgulP3 #bees #featured #honey #bee #insects
Excellent photo Alan S. Hochman
VERY COOL PHOTO
Enjoying your photos.
Robyn, thank you so very much!
Great photo. Do you only photograph in Florida?
I’m quite jealous
awesome shot!! Would love to see more. This bee is so cute!!
You’re good to go on this one. Note the “pollen basket” on the rear legs. Your other bee has a scopa (a place to collect pollen under the abdomen) and legs that are completely covered in pollen. Honey bees bring home nearly all their pollen in pellet form, as do bumble bees, but most others have a scopa instead.
Thank you Rusty for the clarification! I’m a photographer with very limited knowledge on insects.
I particularly liked the angle, making the flower appear to be slightly weighted down by a ‘balancing act’ bee.
Absolutely beautiful! You rock at photographing, Alan! Keep it comin’!
Great photo. I think I’ll raid the honey jar now…