Nest Building with the Queen of the Paper Wasps

Now that Spring is well upon us and the flowers are budding and the vegetable plants beginning to bear some blooms, the flying insects too are out in full force. But despite the purported benefits of wasps for gardeners such as myself (ie: they aid in pollination and eating harmful insects), I have a really difficult time allowing them to live in close proximity to my little vegetable patch, where they will fly by my ears and cause me to dance like a lunatic all season. But I would like to encourage them to visit when I'm not around.

Queen Paper Wasp (Red Wasp) building her nest alongst my Vegetable Garden

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.

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.