Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Macro World Resource
  

FM Forums | Macro & Still Life | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2016 · Female Mason Bee

  
 
Dalantech
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Female Mason Bee


It's that time of year -the males live for about two weeks, and the females between six and eight weeks. I know I've been posting Mason bees lately, but if I don't shoot them now then I won't shoot them at all.

The latest Mason Bee to hatch from last year's nesting season, photographed while she was trying to get her metabolism going. Looks intimidating with those mandibles, but they are actually very docile.

Tech Specs: Canon 70D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (about 2x to 4x) + a diffused MT-24EX (both flash heads on the Canon flash mount). These are single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. I think there are two distinct species of Mason Bees in my yard (differences in the female's mandibles and the male's eyes) but I have not been able to get a definite ID on them. I think that this is a Red Mason bee but I could easily be wrong.

Newborn Female Red Mason Bee III by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Newborn Female Red Mason Bee I by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Newborn Female Red Mason Bee II by John Kimbler, on Flickr



Mar 28, 2016 at 04:03 AM
LordV
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Female Mason Bee


Lovely captures John. Female reds have a pair of horns below the antennae that they use for mud tamping. Think I can see them in your specimen.
Brian v.



Mar 28, 2016 at 05:54 AM
Dalantech
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Female Mason Bee


LordV wrote:
Lovely captures John. Female reds have a pair of horns below the antennae that they use for mud tamping. Think I can see them in your specimen.
Brian v.


Thanks Brian!

The females also have a hint of the same pattern in their eyes that the male have:

Newborn Red Mason Bee II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

But there seems to be a second species in my yard that were identified as Reds last year, but now I don't think so. Notice the difference in the eyes and the fur color:

Tree House II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

There were two females nesting in my bee house. This one:

New Apartment III by John Kimbler, on Flickr

And this one:

New Apartment II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

The two females are slightly different.



Mar 28, 2016 at 10:31 AM
Dalantech
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Female Mason Bee


LordV wrote:
...Female reds have a pair of horns below the antennae that they use for mud tamping. Think I can see them in your specimen.
Brian v.


Me thinks you're right. I got this from a Greek Entomologist I know on Flickr (Nico's wild bees & wasps):

The first one looks like a male of Osmia caerulescens to me (that would be a Blue Mason bee -Dalantech),

Newborn Red Mason Bee I by John Kimbler, on Flickr


and the second one seems like a male of O. bicornis (= O. rufa) (Red Mason Bee -Dalantech).

Tree House II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

So the one that looks the reddest is actually a European Blue Mason. Whoda thunk it.



Mar 28, 2016 at 10:43 AM
LordV
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Female Mason Bee


Think the fur colour and amount can varies with age but you are right, the male red mason is a paler coloured than the female. Assuming I've got them right- male Osmia caerulescens are noticeably smaller and do have those wonderful pale spotted eyes. Only the female is very dark blue.

Brian v.



Mar 29, 2016 at 01:17 AM
Dalantech
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Female Mason Bee


LordV wrote:
Think the fur colour and amount can varies with age but you are right, the male red mason is a paler coloured than the female. Assuming I've got them right- male Osmia caerulescens are noticeably smaller and do have those wonderful pale spotted eyes. Only the female is very dark blue.

Brian v.


Here's what I think the order is (could easily be wrong though):

Osmia caerulescens male:

Newborn Blue Mason Bee II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Osmia caerulescens female:

Newborn Female Red Mason Bee III by John Kimbler, on Flickr

From last year (the mother of my current Osmia caerulescens bees):

New Apartment III by John Kimbler, on Flickr

Fur looks different, but that's because she's older. The mandible structure and fine hairs along the jaws is the same.

O. bicornis (= O. rufa) male:

Tree House IV by John Kimbler, on Flickr

O. bicornis (= O. rufa) female:

New Apartment II by John Kimbler, on Flickr

She went into my bee house, but I don't think she built a nest there (she went for the holes in my tree instead).



Mar 29, 2016 at 05:48 AM
LordV
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Female Mason Bee


Think that's correct except #2 which is femal Osmia rufa.
My pic of a female Osmia caerulescens below.
Brian v.






Mar 29, 2016 at 09:51 AM
Dalantech
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Female Mason Bee


LordV wrote:
Think that's correct except #2 which is femal Osmia rufa.
My pic of a female Osmia caerulescens below.
Brian v.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/333/19170363975_5813e36a05_o.jpg



I'll keep an eye out for that one -have not seen them in my yard. The two female mason bees in my last post look different to me (don't have the same mandibles or eye patterns).



Mar 29, 2016 at 11:01 AM





FM Forums | Macro & Still Life | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.