A Bee Sees

A bee sees the world in its own way.

July 24,2024 :: Close Ups / Insects

The eyes of a bumblebee see more than we can imagine. Five eyes let it take in the big world and the small details all around it all at once.

A bumblebee rests on a morning glory leaf.

The two prominent compound eyes are made up of thousands of small lenses called facets. Scientists believe the facets combine what they see into a mosaic. The composite image helps a bee see color, patterns and motion.

Three small eyes called ocelli are arranged in a triangle on the bee’s forehead. These lesser-understood lenses help the bee perceive light, especially sunlight, that helps it navigate when it flies.

All bees see a different range of light than we do. The human eye perceives from violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange to red. Bees see ultraviolet through orange, but not red. Still, they easily feed on red flowers since ultraviolet patterns on flower petals lead them to the nectaries where they find their sweet rewards.

On the way there, the stiff hairs on a bee’s body collect sticky pollen grains that they will unintentionally carry to the next flower to fertilize it. This symbiosis between the flower and the bee assures the perpetuation of bees and the blooming plants they rely on.

But pollinator insects are in danger. Beyond their natural threats like weather and predators, bees and butterflies are struggling to survive against conditions we control. Habitat loss and pesticides for farmers and homeowners have caused dramatic declines in their populations.

If a bee could see the future, what would it ask us to do?

MAKING THE PHOTOGRAPH

SUBJECT: Bumblebee (Bombus species) resting on a morning glory leaf

CONDITIONS: Calm, clear, mid-60s F

EQUIPMENT and SETTINGS: Nikon D850 camera, 200mm micro-Nikkor lens, Gitzo tripod, Really Right Stuff ballhead; Matrix metering, Aperture Priority exposure mode, Back button auto focus, Continuous shutter mode.

EXPOSURE: 1/600 sec @ f/11, ISO 800; natural light

I'm fascinated by bugs. So fascinated that sometimes I forget to click the shutter while I'm watching them. Still, the rewards are good when I'm ready for the right photographic moments with them.

Even when I don't make a photograph, I'll likely learn something about my subject. One thing I learned long ago was the value of a patient approach to an insect I'd like get close to.

An insect will likely see you, if you can see it. You can look like a threat or just part of the landscape depending how slow and patient you are. If you take your time, your odds are better.

Here are a few DOs and DON'Ts.

Get your gear ready before you move toward your subject. Choose a good shutter speed, aperture and ISO combination, so you can freeze the motion of you, the bug and the plant it's on. If you're hand holding your camera, Vibration Reduction could help, too. Select the lens' close-focusing setting. Zoom out all the way first, if you're using a zoom lens.

Look through the viewfinder and move yourself closer to something not near your subject. This will show you how near you'll need to get for the closest image with your chosen lens. Click a frame and check for exposure, depth of field and background coverage. Make adjustments as you choose. Now you're ready to focus on your small subject.

Don't rush up to an insect. Whether it's active or resting, a quick approach could trigger its flight response to danger. Instead, ease in casually. Move in a little, then pause and let the bug accept your presence, then move in a little more.

Don't let your shadow pass over the insect, if it's a sunny day. That could startle it. And you may want the natural direct light for your photo, so keep your shadow out of your anticipated composition.

If it's a breezy day, time your movements with the wind and move when plants around and above you move. Your hope is that you'll always appear as something non-threatening.

As you move in, click a few frames before you move closer. Keep doing this until the composition is as tight as you'd imagined it. It's best to take a series of images just in case the insect moves or takes off. Always hope for the best, but make some insurance photos as you go.

Hang around if you can. You've done the hard work, so wait to see what happens next. And when you're done, don't startle your new favorite subject. Back away casually instead.

The more often you use these steps, the better your photographs will become and the more you'll learn about the small world all around us.

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