Technique: It was a cool day (18C) with partly cloudy skies and intermittent light showers -perfect weather to go looking for solitary bees since they'll have a tough time keeping their metabolism up. I got lucky and found this Mason bee (Male of Megachile (Chalicodoma) parietina.) semi-dormant in my Lavender. A few times it "woke up" and as it changed positions I looked for new compositions, and these are just my first three favorites out of what will be several sets.

Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (around 2x to 3x) + a diffused MT-24EX (both flash heads on the Canon flash mount, E-TTL metering). These are single, uncropped, frames taken hand held. I used an artificial flower to keep the background from being black.

[IMAGE'S LINK: https://flic.kr/p/GtyF​H3]

[IMAGE'S LINK: https://flic.kr/p/G8Aj​TS]

[IMAGE'S LINK: https://flic.kr/p/GxNv​yN]

Great set, John...

Rob,

Great set, number 2 is my favorite

Lovely captures, not sure the ID is correct though.
Brian v.

A wonderful set John.

Agree with Brian, the face does not resemble what is called the hairy footed flower bee (anthophora plumipes) over here. Looks more like one of the Andrena/osmia bees.

Linda

Thanks Rob, Travis, Brian, and Linda

You may both be right Brian and Linda. Gonna have to edit one of the full body shots that I have and see if I can get a positive ID. Can't find any up close face shots to compare these images to.

Dalantech wrote in post #17986720
Thanks Rob, Travis, Brian, and Linda

You may both be right Brian and Linda. Gonna have to edit one of the full body shots that I have and see if I can get a positive ID. Can't find any up close face shots to compare these images to.

God, you must have thousands of bee faces lol - I bet you have some somewhere. Always nice to get an ID if you can - one that I know has a face similar is Osmia bicornis, their face has all that creamy fur with the black face.

Linda

LindaB wrote in post #17986964
God, you must have thousands of bee faces lol - I bet you have some somewhere. Always nice to get an ID if you can - one that I know has a face similar is Osmia bicornis, their face has all that creamy fur with the black face.

Linda

It's a Mason Bee Linda

Male of Megachile (Chalicodoma) parietina.

IDed by a Greek entomologist that I know on Flickr. Good call on the ID!

Now if I could just rrouble one of the mods to change the post title.

Dalantech wrote in post #17987130
It's a Mason Bee Linda

Male of Megachile (Chalicodoma) parietina.

IDed by a Greek entomologist that I know on Flickr. Good call on the ID!

Now if I could just rrouble one of the mods to change the post title.

That's great, glad you got a pos ID. PM Lester Wareham, he might do it for you

Linda

Beautiful captures. Looks like you are fully enjoying your new 80D.

LindaB wrote in post #17987793
That's great, glad you got a pos ID. PM Lester Wareham, he might do it for you

Linda

Thanks Linda -PM sent to Lester.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17987804
Beautiful captures. Looks like you are fully enjoying your new 80D.

Thanks!

Super cool.

Snowyman wrote in post #17989557
Super cool.

Thanks Snowy