On one of my walks the other day, I noticed some mining bees along the edges of the path, frantically digging:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 42mm, ISO100, f8, 1/200s
They were hairy-legged mining-bees (Dasypoda hirtipes), pluimvoetbijen in Dutch. These are solitary bees that have nests underground. They live in colonies but in separate families, as every female is fertile; there is no queen or labour specialisation like honey bees have.
Here is another species of mining bee I photographed earlier in the season, a gray-backed mining-bee (Andrena vaga), grijze zandbij in Dutch:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 42mm, ISO200, f5.6, 1/80s
Unfortunately for the mining bees, their sinister-looking archenemy was also hanging around, in large numbers:
Olympus Stylus 1s, 300mm, ISO160, f85.6, 1/500s
This is a parasitoid wasp of the Ichneumonidae family. The females of this wasp lay eggs on the bodies of larvae of solitary bees. On hatching, these larvae will devour grubs and supplies of pollen and nectar of their victims.
This specific species looks like a Gasteruption jaculator, but I'm not sure.
Here is an older photo of such a beast, a female, where you can see the ovipositor at the back, used for laying eggs:
Olympus XZ-1, 28mm, ISO320, f4, 1/80s
The bees may be cute, but they are not among friends here.
Thanks for watching!
All wonderful shots. Love the huge ovipositor on that last wasp.
Scary bugger though, even when that thingy isn't for stinging.
I'm digging these bees.
The photos are outstanding as always @ocrdu I learned something today from this post. thanks
You are most welcome 8-).
Cool shots! I really like how the wasp is perched on the flower in the last shot. Was it searching for some of the bees?
Interesting, I've seen a similar shaped bee around the flower beds, I'll try to get some shots of it soon.
The bees were nearby; it had been eating from the flower and was now eying what I was up to. You get that at 28mm 8-).
Great macro! Fabulous job my friend!
Thank you! 8-)
Really terrific shots. They are professional. But then your camera work has been that all along.
Don't make me blush now.
The bees are just perfect. Visible every hair.
They let me get close, they were very busy 8-).
Bees are always busy. Such a hardworking insects.
Very nice sharp images, you must go on more walks :D
Even more? 8-P
Hehe, maybe I have to go on more walks instead then :D
Sadly cant atm, felled by a serious flu.. in august, feeling so lucky!
Thankfully i got steemit to keep me company :)
I believe that it try to find some water. :)
Or oil! 8-)
This post is indeed educative....The part of bees that i get to see is that they sting but i think i have learnt something new
Thank you for bringing us so close to these small but amazing creatures!
My pleasure.
Beautiful bugs 😍 I love parasitoid wasp, the are natures alien incvading their host and the lava living on the hosts body for nutrition until it's time to fly...kinda like the 1%😏
Not the first comment on Steemit hidden in my posts, they say. I couldn't possibly comment.
Really sharp photos, good job. I wonder what that spike is on the last photo and what it's used for, looks scary.
@ocrdu..its really amazing photographs...upvoted & resteemed:))
Thanks!
You welcome:D
awesome shots. am not scared shooting bee. but wasp i am scared. i do have some wasp photo. but i shot with care :)
Some wasps are aggressive, some aren't. The big hornets in The Netherlands look frightening, but they are not aggressive.
Oh. I did not know that. still wasp make the hairs in my body go up :) Thanks
Heel fraaie fotos!
Dank je!
Interesting!
Beautiful photos!
Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure.