The Burrowing of the Carpenter Bee

I recently constructed a wooden structure to house my smoker and grill. I immediately stained the entirety of the outside and parts of the interior of the cabinet. But there were a few parts of the interior that I didn't get to, having run out of stain and sealer.

It didn't take long for the carpenter bees that heavily populate our area to locate the new pine and begin burrowing. Their jaws are incredibly effective and surprisingly noisy.

Now I'll have to hurry to finish the project, lest nothing be left to stain.


A collection of other posts involving bees or carpenter bees can be found here: Carpenter Bees.

Honey Bee Wrapping up the Summer Harvest

Honey Bee Wrapping up the Summer Harvest on the Rails to Trails at Black Creek Park

Really Up Close and Personal with the Carpenter Bee

Really Up Close and Personal with the Carpenter Bee, with Dimples and All

Up Close and Personal with a Carpenter Bee

Macro photograph of a Carpenter Bee who had recently been grounded with a wing problem. This and other photos of the local bee population can be found here.

Honey Bee Pollinating a Squash Blossom

Found here is one of the many honey bees who stop by each morning to pollinate the 

Squash and Zucchini blossoms in my humble garden in Fultondale, Alabama.

This and other photos of the local bee population can be found here.

Blooming Goldenrod a Catalyst for Bee Activity

Bee Pollinating Goldenrod :: Photographed with iPhone 4s

The recent blooming of goldenrod has brought about an autumn resurgence of bee activity. This will likely be the bee's last big food drive before settling in for the long winter months.

While on a walk with Darby, I photographed this bee, who was buzzing from plant to plant, along with dozens of her brethren. I took this photo with my iPhone 4s, which has better close-focus ability than I would have suspected.

Nosing about the Wild Sweet William

Apparently, Wild Sweet William (phlox maculata) are quite the tasty treat for bees. All through the summer, they can be seen bumbling from one flower to the next collecting pollen. But I wasn't the only one to notice; Darby sat by and watched with her usual intent curiosity, nosing as close as she dared without much concern about the possibility of being stung.

Carpenter Bee pollinating the Wild Sweet William (Phlox Maculata) :: Gardendale, Alabama

Darby eyeing the bees on the Wild Sweet William :: Gardendale Alabama

Of course this wasn't Darby's first run-in with bees, as can be found here: The Carpenter Bee, a Victim of Curiosity. My first post regarding Wild Sweet William can be found here.

Bee Pollinating a Purple Coneflower

On a stifling summer afternoon, which invites only lethargy, the bees were regarding their stewardly duty of pollinating the local flora. With purple coneflowers and knockout roses in abundance, there was plenty for nature's helpmates to tend to.

Bee Pollinating a Purple Coneflower :: Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/2.8 Macro, f/8 @ 1/500s, ISO 400

Since getting this Tokina 35mm Macro lens in December, I've really enjoyed it. But one thing makes me anxious, the very close working distance required to take photos like this one, usually less that two inches. And between my unsteady hand, the slightly shifting breeze, and the movement of the bees, it requires taking dozens of photos to get one with just the right critical focus. Which requires spending a lot of time in close proximity to critters with stingers. They've been gracious thus far, but I imagine I'll eventually get stung, and I do hate being stung. I think my next lens purchase needs to be the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens.

In These Late Days of Summer...

...the bees are still busy collecting, while they can. But as the days begin to grow shorter, so too does the time before their winter hibernation.

This photo taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i and Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD.