Amazon Pics part 54

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:53 am

Before I continue with the butterflies and bees on the shore of an Amazon tributary, I wanted to show you one that I forgot about. This guy I saw flying around the lodge at night. He was attracted by one of the oil lanterns and he was a couple feet above me. Took this at night at an odd angle. The noticeable feature of this guy was his size. I am guessing his wingspan was close to a full foot across.

Back to the Riverside. Bees were swarming along with the butterflies in this sandy environment

It would be interesting to know the purpose of the upturned abdomens.

Ken Nelson
Canon 30D
Sigma 150mm

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:57 am

Ken, thanks for sharing these and your other photos of tropical arthropods. I think tonight I´ll be dreaming of the Amazon!

You asked:

It would be interesting to know the purpose of the upturned abdomens.

The bee´s posture on the right side on your third picture resembles a honey bee (Apis mellifera) exposing it´s Nasanov´s gland. In Apis mellifera this gland is known for producing pheromones that - when liberated - attract other bees and thus A. mellifera is able to alert to food (especially odorless food) and water by raising the metasoma, exposing the Nasanov´s gland and wing-fanning. (For bees it´s better to use the term metasoma instead of abdomen).

So it is possible that the bees on your picture are recruiting their nest mates to something,(maybe clay with a content of special minerals since they have their mouthparts protruded and seem to take something up?) Note this would only be my ad hoc hypothesis, it lacks scientific proof! Or at least I don´t know if it has been proven in the species shown on your pictures as I don´t know what species it is

).

Kind regards,
Betty

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:06 am

Betty,

Thanks for the plausible hypothesis. I have an alternative, he is using his Nasanov's gland to alert other bees to come sting the heck out of this ugly a$$ with the camera whose flash is bothering us. Soldiers, come hither!!

Ken

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:57 am

Boy Ken, that moth looks pretty beat-up. A wonderful shot of the bees also. Betty, thanks for all the info you provided. I always like looking up words I have never heard of before and people sharing their knowledge.

Well Ken, if you didnt get stung, I would have to say they were not too threatened by you and your flash,

crotermund · Post by **crotermund** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:45 pm

I remember this night very well. Ken brought this moth to the dining room where we were all awestruck by her size & delicate beauty. I've told him a hundred times how to handle a silkmoth and not to wad it up and put in his cargo pants for transportation which might explain the wing damage, Bruce.

All kidding aside, this beauty was special in another way. In addition to her enormous size she had the 4 window holes in her wings which might not be apparent on first glance, but certainly a unique feature.

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:04 pm

Ken and Doug, you´re welcome!

Gosh, Craig! I really didn´t notice that were wholes at first sight.

And thanks as well for sending me to bed with a good laughter!