If I hadn’t been focused on photographing insects two days ago, I wouldn’t be able to share these photos of female and male Eastern Carpenter Bees. I’m glad I did.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee in flight – Canon R7, handheld, f9 1/400, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
I took forty-six photos of this male Eastern Carpenter Bee in flight, hoping to get a few sharp images of him flying close to some blooming flowers.
Out of those forty-six photos, there may have been only four or five that weren’t sharp enough to meet my standards.
I love photographing handheld and on foot again! My ‘keeper rate’ has really shot up.
Male (L) and female (R) Eastern Carpenter Bees – Canon R7, handheld, f9 1/500, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
This image shows the same male carpenter bee in flight next to a female who was nectaring on blooming sedum blossoms. I initially thought they were different species of carpenter bees because they look different.
I used iNaturalist to identify the male, which helped me realize they were the same species of carpenter bee.
Male and female Eastern Carpenter Bees side by side – Canon R7, handheld, f9 1/500, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
Photographing the male bee approaching the female on the flowering sedum was challenging.
I couldn’t use the animal eye focus feature of the Canon R7 because it kept locking onto the black spots on the bees’ backs.
But once again, my keeper rate was high, and I loved these two images of the female and male bees.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bee on blooming sedum – Canon R7, handheld, f9 1/400, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light
Getting close to the carpenter bees didn’t worry me, even though I’m highly allergic to many insect bites and stings. The male Eastern Carpenter Bees can’t sting because they don’t have a stinger. The females usually don’t sting unless handled roughly, and I don’t plan on ever handling them.
I haven’t given up photographing birds. They’ll always be my favorite subject, and I’m still photographing them. But when other subjects in nature present themselves, I’m going to focus on them too.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my insect and spider images.
Hi Mia,
Very interesting images you posted today. Would it be possible to tell me the scientific name of that bee?
I ask you this because we have a bee here that also has the name Carpenter Bee, but is different from “yours”.
The scientific name of “ours” is “Xylocopa violacea”.
Thank you.