Honey bee hamuli... natures "velcro"

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:38 pm

The front and hind wings of the honey bee are held together in flight by a row of tiny hooks at the leading edge of the rear wing. These hooks, called hamuli, (from the Latin hamus... "hook"), grasp a "ledge" made by a stiff fold on the trailing edge of the front wing. They must be pretty tough... a honey bee beats its wings about 230 times a second, and a worker bee lives for about 6 weeks. And it's a time proven technology too!... last year I photographed hamuli on a tiny wasp that had gotten trapped in amber about 30million years ago:
http://www.photomacrography1.net/forum/ ... ght=hamuli

10/0.30 Nikon CFN Plan, Canon 350D. 40 frames stacked with Helicon Focus.

40X Olympus M, Canon 350D. 45 frames stacked in Helicon Focus.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:08 am

Natures desgin is quite awesome, she uses her resources in the simplest and most effective ways. 30 million years ago was a long time Charlie. Who was president back then...Truman?

Beautiful shots as always and good clear details. Since you have the bee dismantled, how about a shot of that rail to where these hooks attach, maybe with a little micromanipulation you could enjoin them.

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:33 am

Ken...

maybe with a little micromanipulation you could enjoin them

... a bit beyond my capabilities with the toothpicks and tweezers I now use to prod things around!

piotr · Post by **piotr** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:10 pm

Truly amazing details, Charlie, and beautiful pictures.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:28 pm

WOW...look at the lighting on these pictures....pure professional IMO. wonderful subjest also Charles...just beautiful.