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Takeoff


Takeoff
Photo Information
Copyright: Amir Jafary (amirsun) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 27 W: 15 N: 23] (649)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 350D / Digital Rebel XT, canon 18-55mm/f3.3-5.6
Exposure: f/29.0, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-08-30 4:58
Viewed: 1049
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
It is a kind of leaf cutter bee (Megachile rotundata)
FAMILY
Megachilidae
TAXONOMY
Apis rotundata Fabritius, 1787.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Leaf cutter bee; Spanish: Abeja polinizadora de la alfalfa.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Moderate size, about 0.31–0.35 in (8–9 mm). A fairly stoutbodied
bee. Black with yellow pilosity in the front and at the
dorsum of the thorax and whitish pilosity in ventrolateral areas,
legs, and mouth. Abdomen has short hairs that are white and
yellow along the dorsal ridge. Females have pollen brushes on
the ventral side of abdomen.
DISTRIBUTION
Originally from Europe, but it was introduced into North
America and some part of Asia. It is distributed in the Neartic, particularly in
Canada; from Canada it was introduced to Chile.
HABITAT
Grasslands.
BEHAVIOR
Solitary. Cuts leaves and petal pieces to line cells for offspring
in nests. When they cut leaves, they leave a characteristic oblong
or circular cutout on the edge of the leaf or petal. Several
oblong leaf pieces line individual cells in the nest.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Adults feed on nectar; larvae eat pollen and nectar.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The cells are filled with pollen and nectar. A single egg is laid
in each cell, which is capped with round leaf pieces. The bee
then starts over, collecting oblong leaf pieces.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Valuable as pollinators of alfalfa crops.
sway, lglandon, firelord has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To pgmoni: Tanksamirsun 1 08-30 08:18
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • sway Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 303 W: 85 N: 308] (1224)
  • [2005-08-30 6:17]

HI Amir,
Great macro of this guy.
Great clear focus.
I love the colours.
:)

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-08-30 6:22]

Good shot! Colors are great and details are sharp. I like the composition, but it's really too bad that you cut off the front legs. TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

Superb portrait of this attractive bee. The focus is flawless and the background adds up to an unusual and beautiful picture.
I do not think, however, that this is Megachile rotundata : much more likely a Anthidium species, which is a related but distinct genus.
Excellent job

Nice macro shot, Amir.
Very nice colours, well composed and good details.
I agree with Pieter about the legs.
Well done.

Amir,
Very nice fixed take off!
very sharp composition
TFS, Laurent

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 373 W: 14 N: 538] (2881)
  • [2006-04-27 13:58]

Excelent colours and sharp details. Nice POV! Very good composition, Amir!
Regards from Brazil!
Zeca

Hej Amir!
Piękne makro. Kolory i głębia ostro¶ci super.
Dziękuję za opis.
Gratuluję i pozdrawiam - Roma

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