"If the man who paints only the tree, or flower, or other surface he sees before him were an artist, the king of artists would be the photographer. It is for the artist to do something beyond this." ~ James McNeill Whistler

Here is a photo of a sweet bee I photographed up in the Connecticut hills earlier this year. I was struck by the contrast of the bee's green carapace against the magentas of this wildflower. Those pollen filled 'saddle bags' were another neat thing to see -- I'm not sure how she managed to fly back to the hive with such a heavy load. Have a great weekend everyone! ----- Agapostemon virescens - Metallic Green Bee Sweat bee is the common name for bees that are attracted to pollen and the salt in human perspiration. In its strict application, the name refers to members of the Halictidae, a large family of bees that are common in most of the world except Australia and Southeast Asia, where they are only a minor faunistic element. In the USA, the common species are black, brown, red, or metallic green, and sometimes with yellow markings, and usually 1/4 to 1/2 inch (4-10 mm) in size. Their attraction to sweat makes them a nuisance. Their sting hurts, but the pain only lasts around 10 minutes. Pest control is not recommended due to their beneficial nature in pollination. As with many common names, however, the term "sweat bee" is applied colloquially to different insects in different continents, despite its technical restriction to halictids. Thus, in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia, the name is more typically used by locals to refer to what are technically known as Stingless Bees, which are typically in the genus Trigona and its relatives (family Apidae), and also have the habit of taking up salt from human perspiration. The western honeybee, Apis mellifera also occasionally laps human perspiration. Identification Males: Hind femora slender, fully three times as long as the greatest width. Females: Abdomen black, with pale basal fasciae. ----- Thank you for tuning my last upload, Do You Get Good Reception With Those Things?.

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