Iris Bug VII
Another in my iris series focussing on the bugs that use the irises, part of a mini-series. This bumble-bee was very difficult to photograph. Though it seems large and ponderous, it moves quickly and it was interested in sticking its head into things. It would fly in to an open area on the stem and immediately move around a corner, or into the blossom. Thus, most of my pictures are like the one below. I think it must often have been drinking from the same nectar sources that I discovered the ants to be using.
Indeed, one of these bees up in that time-lapse sequence, showing up here in that post, at much higher magnifications. I need to keep on trying with these critters – a better shot is possible but probably requires a lot of patience. I think I might have to watch for a pattern and then set up and wait for one to fly into the shot. Nice day, tripod, remote shutter release, lawn chair, beer. All these things can be arranged.
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Canon EOS 5D MkII, Canon EF 100mm/f2.8 macro lens; bottom: ISO400, f-6.3, 1/50th, top two: ISO100, f-2.8, 1/250th & 1/200th second, hand-held. Processed with Lightroom 4 and Topaz Clarity.
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burnt embers 
I have to admit your patience is extraordinary. So are the photos. Maybe I’ll follow your lead and get a six pack and a remote shutter release and work on my own patience.
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Thanks Ken. Technical advice: if its a six pack, it should not be too strong. Unless you leave the camera in the bag in the house and just carry the remote around with you. At least, this is how things are on the left coast of Canada, where beer worth drinking seems to be too strong most of the time.
And, I was optimistic when I said a nice day can be arranged – I am thinking we may have seen our nice days for this summer, before the solstice. The next nice day will probably be when I am stuck in the office.
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