Pearly-banded Bees

On a beautiful and peaceful morning, I returned to exploring nature, searching for beautiful creatures to capture. The main reason I always choose to explore nature early in the morning is that the air is still cool, and the sun isn't hot because it's just rising. At that time, insects aren't very active, and their body temperatures haven't fully recharged. Most of them are still sitting still, perhaps enjoying the beautiful, cool morning just like I am. However, some of them are already starting to become active. Those that become active as the sun begins to shine are usually leaf-eating insects.

Look at this group of bees, enjoying the beautiful morning by relaxing on a branch. They are Pearly-banded Bees, or Nomia strigata in Latin. The bees aren't just on the branch; some are also sitting sweetly on the green leaves. The bees remained still as I approached them. They seemed reluctant to get up and fly around. When I found them, the air still felt very cold. It was cold, as if it were about to rain. But it wasn't going to rain; I could see the sun was starting to rise and the sky was clear.

The bees on the branch occasionally moved their antennae. It seemed like they were gossiping about me. I didn't care about their whispers. All I could think about was how I could make them the most beautiful models today. I was very grateful that none of them flew away. But there was one thing that made photographing them difficult. The plant they were perched on had many branches, and they rested on the central branch or surrounded by other branches.

It was a little difficult to reach. But it wasn't a big deal. I photographed them from a distance. I didn't want to touch the branches, which would disturb them. When photographing insects, I always play it safe. I didn't want to scare them. I wanted them to feel safe around me.