It is not just the bee...

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:54 pm

that I find to be most interesting in this image but the flowers that it is drawing nectar from. They are so beautiful. I am not sure as to what kind they are. The plant itself is sort of bushy and has a somewhat woody stem, also it is not very big, maybe about 10 to 12 inches tall at the most. It may be a Myrtle but I am not really sure, it is growing in sandy soil.

Anyway the flowers are quite colorful I think, with a lovely texture and the bee...well it too is interesting. I really like the way it anchors itself with its hind legs, while using its forelegs to hold the flower and drinking in its sweetness.

EOS 20D
Maual mode/hand held
1/200 sec. @ f/13 ISO 400
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro
Canon 430EX Speedlite @ -1/3
Midday, in shade

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:31 am

Very nice picture Ken. Not much to hold on to with such small flowers. The pink blush on the flowers is very beautiful.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:21 pm

Thanks Doug

I thought that they might be some kind of Myrtle but after looking around at many images of Myrtle, I guess they are not.

Mike B in OKlahoma · Post by **Mike B in OKlahoma** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:15 pm

No clue what the plant is. I know nuth-ink about anything that doesn't have a pulse!

The bee seems to be glomming onto another flower with its rear legs saying "Mine! No line-jumpers!"

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:40 pm

Actually that bee was quite large for a Bumblebee but I don't think anyone or anything would be so rash as to intrude upon its feasting

Thanks Mike

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:58 pm

I have learned the flower often makes the shot. The color reminds me of milkweed, though this is definitely not that. Very pleasing.

Ken

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:04 pm

So it seems there Ken, maybe it is the multitude of colors that the flowers bring to the image, that makes them give a bit more life to it. Thanks Ken

microcollector · Post by **microcollector** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:09 pm

Ken,
Nice pictures. My kids used to pet bumble bees when they found them on our flowers.
Doug

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:46 pm

Ken Ramos wrote:Thanks Doug I thought that they might be some kind of Myrtle but after looking around at many images of Myrtle, I guess they are not.

The flower looks like something in family Ericaceae, perhaps one of the Vaccinium's discussed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry.

One species does go by "myrtle blueberry", so it's easy to imagine how that name might come to mind.

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:44 am

Might very well be a Bilberry there Rik, though Wiki leaves me wondering due to it stating that they grow in damp acidic soils and this plant was in a sort of dry sandy soil.

The flowers look pretty close though, to what I have here, could just be a different variety. Thanks Rik

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:54 am

Ken Ramos wrote:The flowers look pretty close though, to what I have here, could just be a different variety.

Yep. Ericaceae is a tiny family with a HUGE variation in habit and habitat. It includes everything from heather to blueberry bushes to the pacific madrone tree. In my area there are several species that love dry sand.

--Rik