Bumblebees are on my "to shoot" list for next year. I rarely see them in this area, but I do know of a place up in Tuscany that's loaded with them. Might have to take my corn syrup syringe for a road trip
Wish you luck with the bumble bees- I find them one of the most difficult bugs from an exposure POV. The one in the shot was also much more nervous than the other bugs - couldn't risk trying to change angles too much to get rid of that leaf in the foreground.
Same problem down here Brian: I was in Tuscany staying at a friend's agriturismo and they had a bush that was loaded with bumblebees -some of the most skittish creatures I've ever stalked with a camera...
One odd thing about pink camelias is they seem more sensitive to chlorosis than the red ones- hence the slightly odd leaf colour in the leaves. Although the garden soil is alluvial clay based - it has chalk lumps in it from the South Downs .
I do give them magnesium and iron supplements every now and then
