David Element's Wildlife Web Page Hymenoptera 10

David Element

Wildlife Photography

and Digital Video Images

____________ Hymenoptera 10 - Flower Bees

HAIRY-FOOTED FLOWER BEE Anthophora plumipes (m)

HAIRY-FOOTED FLOWER BEE Anthophora plumipes (f)

This sexually dimorphic and very active bee frequents labiates like Red Deadnettle Lamium purpureum, White Deadnettle L. album and Yellow Archangel L. galeobdolon in spring. Other flowers are also visited including Cowslip Primula veris. The diagnostic long hairs referred to in the vernacular and specific names are very evident on the middle leg of the male in the second photograph. One or more males will hover in attendance whilst a female is feeding and a nuptial flight may then ensue prior to eventual mating. The much shorter orange hairs on the hind legs of the otherwise entirely black female are a very distinctive field characteristic. The male bee in the third, fourth and fifth photographs was seen emerging from a burrow following a rain shower. Evidence of active excavation into the soft brickwork may be observed in the first picture of this sequence as the insect’s mandibles are covered in red dust! These digital photographs were taken with a new Nikon D300 and the results are nothing short of stunning when compared with those obtained using earlier technology.