Bees on Bluebonnets

— Spring seems to be in full force in Austin, Texas. Not only are the city and surrounding areas getting covered with wildflowers, but pollinators have also started to show en masse around these new wildflowers. In my recent bike rides near Balcones District Park, I have seen patches of Bluebonnets beginning to cover some areas.

The two photos I feature here were captured just last week. What I liked about them was my perspective. I could look at the Bluebonnets from above and see the bees from that angle. Using a macro lens gave me a very shallow depth of field while keeping the bees in focus. In both images, you can already see a small pollen sac around the bees‘ legs. I am referring to the small orange circle near the middle of their legs. If you enlarge these photos, you’ll have a clearer view. It is very small now, but soon, those pollen sacs or baskets will be much bigger as more flowers appear in the landscape. That is where female bees carry pollen.