Keywords: bee bees cleptoparasite taxonomy:binomial=acanthopus excellens taxonomy:binomial=acanthopusexcellens acanthopus excellens acanthopusexcellens acanthopus south america southamerica brazil biml usgs droege usgsbiml pwrc apodea apidae nests parasite nestsparasite metallic blue metallicblue midnight blue midnightblue giant depth of field insect animal texture Monster cleptoparasite, this dramatic species is a nest parasite of bees in the genus Centris and is endemic to South America. Note the one shot of the lovely expanded tibial spurs. I do not know their function, but it may have to do with nest invasions, either digging or gripping the walls of the nest. Lovely metallic blue / purple colors. Note the frayed wings, this bee was at the end of its time on earth when captured. From the Packer Lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ 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 The murmuring of bees has ceased; But murmuring of some Posterior, prophetic, Has simultaneous come,-- The lower metres of the year, When nature's laugh is done,-- The Revelations of the book Whose Genesis is June. -Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: 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 Monster cleptoparasite, this dramatic species is a nest parasite of bees in the genus Centris and is endemic to South America. Note the one shot of the lovely expanded tibial spurs. I do not know their function, but it may have to do with nest invasions, either digging or gripping the walls of the nest. Lovely metallic blue / purple colors. Note the frayed wings, this bee was at the end of its time on earth when captured. From the Packer Lab. ~~~~~~~~~~{{{{{{0}}}}}}~~~~~~~~~~ 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 The murmuring of bees has ceased; But murmuring of some Posterior, prophetic, Has simultaneous come,-- The lower metres of the year, When nature's laugh is done,-- The Revelations of the book Whose Genesis is June. -Emily Dickinson Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen: 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 |