Wednesday, September 03, 2008

entomology

I like this shot, because these bumblebees have a distinct spot on their backs. I don't recall ever seeing that before. I wonder what other details there are among these busy workers, and what it all means. This angle shows the large bottom portion of an insect. It is referred to as the buttocks, or sometimes tookus. (Tee hee!)

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I wish I had shoes and a tripod when I got this one. (I was swimming.) This was a huge nest in the backyard of our host's next-door neighbor. Huge, to me, means about 18 inches high, and 12 inches wide. There was one bee or wasp at the bottom, but I couldn't identify it, and didn't want to get too close. I'm not as brave as David McMahon, who acts like Crocodile Dundee around Yukon grizzlies.

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Funny thing... as many bees and wasps as we saw (and there were plenty), they really didn't bug us.

6 comments:

lime said...

cute lil bumblebutt there but i don't think i will pinch it.

as for that nest, it is a wasp's nest. those papery types of nests are made by wasps.

Louise said...

Isn't that a hornet's nest? I think things that live in nests like that can be very aggressive. Probably better not to chase it like David chases grizzlies!

Craver Vii said...

Lime, you said "bumblebutt." (snicker)
Yes, I have a third-grader's sense of humor.

I'm glad you mentioned hornet Louise, because I saw a long, skinny black thing hovering over their deck while we were swimming, and my first thought was that I should kill it. I decided instead, to let it bee, unless it threatened us. I wanted to find a photo of a hornet, and found that there is such a thing as a "Great Black Wasp," which is not aggressive, like the hornet. But either way, if you click on the nest's photo, you'll see one of the inhabitants on the lower, right side of the nest.

Jules~ said...

I agree that is a big nest. I wonder just how they go about construction.
"they never bugged us".....I love it.

david mcmahon said...

Sir Craver, I only just spotted my name here and the reference to Crocodile Dundee!

I'm really enjoying the progression of your own camera skills.

Mate, I absolutely loved your comment on my ``Pentax Branch Office'' shot, where you said good cameras don't grow on trees!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

OHHHHH I am so glad I scrolled down... I love the bees!!!!