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Busy Bee


Busy Bee
Photo Information
Copyright: David White (dkaved) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 266 W: 18 N: 433] (2106)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-17
Categories: Insects, Flowers
Camera: Nikon D70S, Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Macro
Exposure: f/11, 1/125 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-30 9:07
Viewed: 953
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A busy bee on a Cistus incanus (Soft-Hairy Rockrose)

The Cistaceae (or rock-rose family, rock rose family) is a rather small family of plants known for its beautiful shrubs, vastly covered by flowers at the time of blossom. This family consists of about 170-200 species in eight genera, distributed primarily in the temperate areas of Europe and the Mediterranean basin, but also found in North America; a limited number of species are found in South America. Most Cistaceae are subshrubs and low shrubs, and some are herbaceous. They prefer dry and sunny habitats. The Cistaceae grow well on poor soils, and many of them are cultivated in gardens.

They often have showy yellow, pink or white flowers, which are generally short-lived. The flowers are bisexual, regular, solitary or borne in cymes; they usually have five, sometimes three, petals (Lechea). The petals are free, usually crumpled in the bud, and sometimes in the open flower (e. g. Cistus incanus). It has five sepals, the inner three of which are distinctly wider, and the outer two are narrow and sometimes regarded as bracteoles. The sepal arrangement is a characteristic property of the family.

The stamens are numerous, of variable length and sit on a disc; filaments are free. The ovary is superior, usually with three carpels; placentation parietal with two or more ovules on each placenta. The fruit is a capsule, usually with five or ten valves (three in Helianthemum). The seeds are small, with hard water-impermeable coating, weighing around 1 mg.

Cistaceae have also optimally adapted to the wildfires that frequently eradicate large areas of forest. The plants cast their seeds in the soil during the growth period, but the latter don't germinate right in the next season. Their hard coating is impermeable to the water, and thus the seeds remain dormant for a long period of time. This together with their small size allows it to establish a large seed bank rather deep in the soil. Once the fire comes and kills the vegetation in the area, the seed coating softens or cracks as a result of the heating, and the surviving seeds germinate shortly after the fire. This mechanism allows the Cistaceae to produce a large number of young shoots simultaneously and at the right time, and thus to obtain an important advantage over other plants in the process of repopulating the area
Amadeo, gracious, crs, mariki, jaycee, Royaldevon, Miss_Piggy, uleko has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hola David, excelente macro, con una bonita y acertadad composición, nitida y buen color y una excelente iluminación. Un saludo

  • Great 
  • batu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1059 W: 290 N: 3944] (13334)
  • [2008-05-30 9:34]

Hello David,
you focused nicely on the interaction between the bumble bee and the flower.
Just the important parts are very sharp and brilliant.
I like in particular that your pictures shows structural details also of the dark parts of the bumble bee.
This is not easy to achieve.
An attractively composed picture.
Best wishes, Peter

Hello David,
How are you! delighted to see your wonderful posting once again!
this is a super macro well captured and composed, my compliment for a fine job well done
the image is so sharp with real colouration and stunning details in the shot!
well done and take care
from NZ, Tony

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2008-05-30 10:49]

Hi David,

It is a very nice photo of the bee. Your photo has a very good image quality. Excelent way of using the DOF having clear details on bee's head and flower stamins. I like very much the clear details on the bee as well as on the flower. The image ahs also a very well managed lighting showing natural colors. Delicat shadows and sparkles of light bring depth and life into the photo.

Congratulations,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-05-30 11:15]

Hi David,

So nice to see you posting again! I see have missed some of your beautiful flowers - I am so sorry. This bee is fantastic! I have never gotten close enough to one to see all the details you show here. The face, eye, fuzzy body and wings are wonderful. Beautiful natural colors and a superb composition.

Jane

Hello David,

This is an excellent, sharp and detailed shot of the bee and the stamens of the flower. The slightly oof petals make a good b/g against which to view the bee.
Well positioned, off-centre composition and good, natural colours.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hi David
Lovely image. Wonderful shot of the bee with good sharpness and POV. Nice composition and good colours.
Cheers
Sue

Hello David,

Superb composition. Excellent focus on the head of the bumble bee and the flower. Good DOF. The colours are splendid.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1977 W: 6 N: 5525] (19661)
  • [2008-05-31 4:01]

Hi David,you're back whit a wonderfull shot!This terribles bee are always moving,not easy to take a pic so perfectly like that,my best compliments fot the great great quality and for the note too,have a nice day,Luciano

Hallo David
You succeeded in something that I am trying for a long time now. A capture of a bee on a flower, but also a bee in focus. This is truly a colourful and most beautiful image. The clarity of the details of both the flower and the bee is super. A lovely close up with great focus and great sharpness. I love the way you filled the frame with the subject, this way bringing it closer to the eye, making it more visible to appreciate the finer details, and here I especially refer to the fine body hairs. It looks very fluffy and soft, although I don’t think I’ll easily try to touch or feel it. Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards
Anna

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2989 W: 162 N: 941] (2769)
  • [2008-06-02 4:24]

Hello David,
Lovely close-up of the little Bumble-bee on a pretty pink Cistus flower. Excellent sharp details of this furry little insect and lovely colours. Beautiful background too and very well composed.
Many thanks, Ulla

Hi David,
This is an excellent macro with great tones of colors, superb details, brilliance and composition. I never managed to take a good shot of those insects :) Well done and TFS,
Claudine

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