Bumblebee in flight

Same week, same yard, a different bee mid-flight between blooms — legs tucked, antennae forward, a full pollen load already riding on her hind leg. Caught side-on, it’s a good look at the banding pattern that separates bumblebee species from each other.

Why it matters

A single bumblebee colony can pollinate an enormous number of flowers in its short season, and unlike honey bees, bumblebees will forage in cooler and wetter conditions — which matters a lot for early-blooming plants like blueberries in an unpredictable April.

Getting the shot

Shutter at 1/1000s and ISO pushed to 1250 to hold the aperture down for depth of field on a moving target. Backlit again, which is quickly becoming the easiest way to make an insect’s edges pop off a cluttered yard background.