Category Archives: Bees & Bugs

Bees & Bugs

Honey Bee

I opened up my Nikon D3000 for Dummies book again this morning. I decided to reset all the shooting and set up options and start over (I messed about with the camera a few days ago). So, still on auto for these photos of the bee in the abelia bush this morning.

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The book advises me that learning to use the camera just from the Guide mode will make it harder for me to learn the other modes, later. Might take a decade, but I’ll get there!  I can’t wait to get my new lens and go back to the lake and get some great shots of the crested grebe. I suppose I’ll get a macro lens, too, one day.

Thanks for looking.   🙂

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Bees & Bugs

Netelia producta

I spotted this skinny bug in the jasmine this morning. I was chasing the blue-banded bee about with the Nikon D3000. Googling, I discovered this is most likely an orange caterpillar-parasite wasp – netelia producta.

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Wikipedia has an interesting article on this wasp family…

The Ichneumonidae are a parasitoid wasp family within the order Hymenoptera. They are important parasitoids of other invertebrates; common hosts are larvae and pupae of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. Over 24,000 species have been described worldwide. Estimates of the total species range from 60,000 to over 100,000 – more than any other hymenopteran family.

Apparently these type of wasps caused Charles Darwin to question the existence of a benevolent God – unable to believe a kind God would create insects that fed on live caterpillars or have cats play with mice.

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The white bands on the antennae probably indicate its female and the sting doubles as the ovipositer.  While I was framing a shot, a bee landed on the same leaf and up went the stinger. Pity it wasn’t in focus – would have made a wonderful image. Not that I pressed the shutter. I was too busy jumping away. I thought that something so obvious might only be for show but I was a bit more careful afterward.

Thanks for looking.  🙂

 

 

 

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