There is a patch of lavender in my local park; I've never noticed it before as it's on the other side of a wall by a footpath. The park is popular with dog walkers, and as it turns out, it's pretty popular with the bees.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer |  @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/4 |
| Focal Length | 44mm |
| Exposure | 1/800 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6000 |
| Lens | Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:24 |
The Bluebottle Fly
For once, this fly decided to stay still while I took a few shots, this Bluebottle Fly (Calliphora); I wouldn't expect to see one of these on a flower as generally, they feed on things that, erm, don't make for good photographs.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/1600 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:30 |
The Humble Bumble Bee
Next up, we find a [Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus Terrestris) on Lavender which, from my previous posts, you will know is a ubiquitous sight in the UK.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:33 |
You can get very close to bees while feeding, as they are so preoccupied with the nectar that they will pay little attention to you or the camera.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:33 |
When the bee moves off is time to be careful; just move slowly and watch. Don't step too close to a bee and won't get stung. Bees don't want to sting you and will only do so when directly threatened.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/1.4 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:35 |
Honey Bees
Western Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are responsible for the vast amount of honey produced in Europe; they live in the wild, and apiarists domesticate them for commercial honey production.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:33 |
Honey bees are unfortunately subject to Colony Collapse Disorder which results in all worker bees leaving a colony for no obvious reason. The worst-case scenario is large populations of bees die off, which would have a knock-on effect on all crop production as bees and other insects are required to pollinate virtually all crop species.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/1.4 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:35 |
The worker bees (or drones) are relatively docile in Europe; I am led to believe that more aggressive species have arisen in the Americas
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Photographer | @richardslater |
| F-Stop | f/2.2 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Exposure | 1/2000 sec |
| ISO | 100 |
| Camera | Sony A6600 |
| Lens | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM |
| Taken | Friday, 01 July 2022 18:33 |
I hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. All words and photographs are my own; if my work has earned a vote, comment, or follow, I greatly appreciate it.