Mason Bees visiting flowers - Macro Photography

When the sun comes out, the flowers warm up and attract the near by pollinators. These are Solitary Bees, and do not make honey like bees that like in a colony do. Though they are excellent pollinators and I am thankful for that. It increases fruit yield and makes for stronger genetics when plants do indeed produce edible food. My Blueberry plants greatly benefit from the Bees and since their appearance my yields have increased. Hoping the Peach tree gets the same treatment, though the frosts do tend to stop the Peach tree from producing. Its still a month or so away from our last frost day, so anything could happen between now and then.

Camera Model	Lumix GH3
Lens	Olympus MSC ED M. 60mm Macro lens
Filter	none
Aperture	f/5
Shutter Speed	1/500 sec
Film Speed	200
Spectrum	Visual Light
Wavelength	380 through 700 nanometers
Location	North Georgia USA.

The Bees climb into the flower pulling its body close to where the center of the bloom is to get to the nectar. That liquid feeds them and helps them throughout their life for energy. The pollen is collected at a later stage to build food storage for the larva.

One of the Mason Bees emerged from its 2x4 home and is walking around stretching its legs and wings before taking flight.

Pollen is collecting on their hairs, little yellow specks on the body of the Bee. Its iridescent colored wings can be seen in the above photo as well.

A male visiting the flowers as well, they are not going to take the pollen and build homes. But just feed on the flowers and then seek out the females to breed with them. The males die about a week after mating.

The fuzzy hairs all over the Mason Bees body act as pollen carriers. These solitary Bees do not have pollen sacs like honey bees do.

Some of the petals have fallen off by now, the blooms being a few weeks old. Though the Bees seem happy enough to visit them.

As they climb onto the flowers the Mason Bees sputter their wings to give them a little more support until they can get a grip on the bloom.

I would see them fly up to the flowers and climb onto the stamens of the bloom to get to the nectar inside. The pink petals give the green leaves a nice look I think.

One of the Bees was sticking its head out of the 2x4 home I built for them. Considering if it wants to start visiting flowers yet. Some cold days they would rather stay in their 2x4 home than go out into the elements.

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