Agapostemon pollen gathering

This pretty metallic green bee made me wish I could do macro videos. She had the most interesting way to attack the anthers of this Missouri or Ozark Primrose. She started at the bottom end of the long anther covered in fluffy looking pollen. First she clamped her mandibles around the anther which left her legs unencumbered. She grabbed or scraped the pollen off with her legs and then worked it into a ball, while also curving and straightening her abdomen. It looked as if she was rolling a snowball with every part available, only with pollen instead of snowflakes... When that section was cleared she stretched out her head and grabbed on a little further up the anther. She cleaned off that section, patting more pollen onto the ball against her abdomen. She continued working her way up the anther until it was emptied. Then she flew away with her prize.

Posted on July 2, 2018 06:31 AM by wenatcheeb