Posts Tagged: Melissodes agilis

Meet a Longhorned Bee

Picture this. A female Melissodes agilis, the so-called "agile longhorned bee," is foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia...

A female Melissodes agilis foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female Melissodes agilis foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Melissodes agilis continues foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Melissodes agilis continues foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Proboscis out, the female Melissodes agilis is finished foraging on the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, and ready to leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Proboscis out, the female Melissodes agilis is finished foraging on the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, and ready to leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Target: A Gulf Fritillary

So here's this Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. It's National Pollinator...

A male long-horned bee, a Melissodes agilis, targets a Gulf Fritillary on a Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male long-horned bee, a Melissodes agilis, targets a Gulf Fritillary on a Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Coming in from a different direction, the male territorial longhorned bee targets the Gulf Fritillary occupying "his" flower, a Mexican sunflower. They're all "his" flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Coming in from a different direction, the male territorial longhorned bee targets the Gulf Fritillary occupying "his" flower, a Mexican sunflower. They're all "his" flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Another line of attack! The male longhorned bee aims straight for the Gulf Fritillary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Another line of attack! The male longhorned bee aims straight for the Gulf Fritillary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's on the Day's Agenda for This Longhorned Bee?

Hey, the sun's up! It's time to rise and shine! Maybe I'll shine before I rise...or maybe I'll... Anyway, I just woke up, and I'm starting to stir....

After spending the night sleeping on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, a male longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, starts to stir. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

After spending the night sleeping on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, a male longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, starts to stir. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Chase

If you've ever tried to photograph male long-horned bees, Melissodes agilis, you know how fast they can fly and how quick they can dart. They fly...

A male long-horned bee, Melissodes agilis, chases a female of the species over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male long-horned bee, Melissodes agilis, chases a female of the species over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close Encounter of a Long-Horned Bee and a Honey Bee

So, here you are, a honey bee nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. All's right with the world, at least in your world....

A male long-horned bee, Melissodes agilis, targets a honey bee nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. This was shot with a shutter speed set at 1/5000 of a second. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male long-horned bee, Melissodes agilis, targets a honey bee nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. This was shot with a shutter speed set at 1/5000 of a second. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee lifts a foreleg in defense as the long-horned bee takes flight. Image shot at 1/5000 of a second. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee lifts a foreleg in defense as the long-horned bee takes flight. Image shot at 1/5000 of a second. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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