Megachile campanulae, male, underside head_2012-07-06-18.44

A pair of head shots...including the rarely seen underside of a bee head. The species: Megachile campanulae. From: Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Status common and regular if you swing a net in the summer. Megachile always have lovely omatidia (those lovely hex things on the compound eyes). I an not sure why, but the photograph well and I am attracted to that look. Look at th underside shot. note the shape of the mandibles from this perspective, note the slot under the head where the folded tongue resides, look at the expanded tarsal segments on the front legs of this male...surely involved in mating (the only thing of significance male bees do). Now, friend, you have another window into how incredibly different bees are from you and me and all other vertebrates for that matter. A super successful planet earth model, just one unlikely to ever develop a large brain. Photographed by Sue Boo and shopped by Elizabeth Garcia.
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All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.

Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 65mm Canon MP-E 1-5X macro lens, Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.0, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all
Ye know on earth and all ye need to know
" Ode on a Grecian Urn"
John Keats

You can also follow us on Instagram account USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:

Art Photo Book: Bees: An Up-Close Look at Pollinators Around the World
www.qbookshop.com/products/216627/9780760347386/Bees.html...

Basic USGSBIML set up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY

USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4

PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up:
ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf

Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques:
plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU

Excellent Technical Form on Stacking:
www.photomacrography.net/

Contact information:
Sam Droege
sdroege@usgs.gov
301 497 5840

Taken on: June 21, 2015

Tags:

bee

bees

megachilidae

taxonomy:binomial=megachile campanulae

megachile campanulae

flower

leaf-cutter bee

hymenoptera

anne arundel county

maryland

summer

mandible

hypostoma

hypostomal cavity

tarsal segments

expanded

tarsi

biml

usgs

usgsbiml

droege

sam droege « less

Sets appears in: • Eye Candy • Bee Heads more » • Maryland Insects « less

Groups appears in: • Closer and Closer Macro Photography - • Macro Studies more » • INSECTS • Bees, bees, bees! • Insect Macro Photography • Insect Photography • The World Up-Close (Nature Macro) • Animal Taxonomy - Hymenoptera • Spectacular Insects • Nothing but the bees • Bees of the Americas * Abejas de las Américas • Focus stacks • ..:: I LOVE DARK PHOTOS ::.. • Insects Heads • Maryland Wildlife • Encyclopedia of Life Images • MACROLICIOUS GROUP • Maryland Nature Photography • National Wildlife Magazine Photo Group • Bee Spotting • BEAUTIFUL BEES. • Close Up and Macro Photography • North American Bees • Louisa's Macro Gallery • Pop Photo's Photo of the Day • INSECTARIO ENTRE AMIGOS • Arthropod Portraits - Studio Focus Stacks • Macro Masterpieces (Very High Quality Images Only) !!!!CLOSED!!! • Overexposed, the Art of in camera Multiple Exposures • Scientific Photographers • Macro Images for Scientists • This is Why I Bought A Camera • La Mirada del Otro • Wikimedia Commons - Animals, Plants « less

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