Photographing Bees

cali92rs · 07-17-2012, 10:00 AM

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So I was walking outside during my lunch break at work where i saw this good sized Bee Hive which the bees made out of the botom of a pipe utility cover (don't know what it's really called).
To put it bluntly, I would like to take a picture of these guys but without getting attacked, lol.
How spooked are they with flash?
I have my 100mm macro attached to camera, but do you guys think I should keep my distance?

I have photographed single bees on a flower, but photographing a hive of them is a different matter altogether.

Medium FormatPro · 07-17-2012, 10:13 AM

Even though bees are insects they are not effected on ioda by a flash, much like most dogs and cats.

Also a bee only reacts if it feels it is being threatened; or due to fast or sudden movement. But in terms of hive mentality... If one of the bees is observed being attacked the others will in fact frequently fight to the death

Eulogy · 07-17-2012, 10:17 AM

So long as you're not putting yourself so close to them that you're burning them with the heat put off by the flash, I don't think they'd be bothered...

**jbinpg** · 07-17-2012, 10:28 PM

If they are honeybees, you are safe unless you physically touch the hive. If they are Africanized honeybees, stay well away. If you haven't been attacked yet, though, then they probably aren't Africanized "Killer" bees. This would be a most unusual place for honeybees to congregate unless they are swarming. Honeybees swarm when the hive becomes overpopulated and the queen decides to head out to setup a new colony. Before they swarm, the bees eat all the honey in the hive they can eat for fuel and then set out. Because they are so well fed, swarming honeybees do not sting much. If you google for swarming honeybee pictures, you will get many hits of pictures showing people draped in honeybees.

If these aren't honeybees but instead are wasps such as yellowjackets, then I would stay away. They are more aggressive than honeybees but not as nasty as killer bees. Most yellowjackets nest in the ground.

Jack
(sorry for the long response - my dad kept honeybees when I was a kid and he was the one who went around rescuing the swarms from peoples' yards)

**TER-OR** · 07-20-2012, 06:54 AM

I photograph bees all the time - and wasps etc...
Don't disturb the nest. That's what they'll get angry about.

And if they're yellowjackets - just walk away as mentioned above. Those are the most aggressive in my experience.

The 100mm macro is a great bee lens.

cali92rs · 07-20-2012, 10:04 AM

Originally posted by TER-OR

I photograph bees all the time - and wasps etc...
Don't disturb the nest. That's what they'll get angry about.

And if they're yellowjackets - just walk away as mentioned above. Those are the most aggressive in my experience.

The 100mm macro is a great bee lens.

I must admit I chickened out

I don't know if they were Africanized, but I do know that here in SD, there are some colonies of them around. So I approached the nest and they began buzzing around me after a few seconds. So I just left quickly and didn't feel the need to even risk it :/

psychdoc · 07-26-2012, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by cali92rs

I must admit I chickened out

I don't know if they were Africanized, but I do know that here in SD, there are some colonies of them around. So I approached the nest and they began buzzing around me after a few seconds. So I just left quickly and didn't feel the need to even risk it :/

Here is your solution:
Bee Suit * Veil Hood * FULL PROTECTION Honey Beekeeping * FREE GLOVES * XL Size on eBay!

I am kidding. My dad kept bees too. As a hobby. He had a suit like this that my mom bought for him but he never used it. He hardly ever got stung anyway...I wore it once or twice when he wanted me to help him out sometimes.

07-17-2012, 10:00 AM	#1
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Photographing Bees Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. So I was walking outside during my lunch break at work where i saw this good sized Bee Hive which the bees made out of the botom of a pipe utility cover (don't know what it's really called). To put it bluntly, I would like to take a picture of these guys but without getting attacked, lol. How spooked are they with flash? I have my 100mm macro attached to camera, but do you guys think I should keep my distance? I have photographed single bees on a flower, but photographing a hive of them is a different matter altogether.

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07-17-2012, 10:13 AM	#2
Medium FormatPro Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh Photos: Albums Posts: 1,668	Even though bees are insects they are not effected on ioda by a flash, much like most dogs and cats. Also a bee only reacts if it feels it is being threatened; or due to fast or sudden movement. But in terms of hive mentality... If one of the bees is observed being attacked the others will in fact frequently fight to the death

07-17-2012, 10:17 AM	#3
Eulogy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick Photos: Gallery Posts: 632	So long as you're not putting yourself so close to them that you're burning them with the heat put off by the flash, I don't think they'd be bothered...

07-17-2012, 10:28 PM	#4
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	If they are honeybees, you are safe unless you physically touch the hive. If they are Africanized honeybees, stay well away. If you haven't been attacked yet, though, then they probably aren't Africanized "Killer" bees. This would be a most unusual place for honeybees to congregate unless they are swarming. Honeybees swarm when the hive becomes overpopulated and the queen decides to head out to setup a new colony. Before they swarm, the bees eat all the honey in the hive they can eat for fuel and then set out. Because they are so well fed, swarming honeybees do not sting much. If you google for swarming honeybee pictures, you will get many hits of pictures showing people draped in honeybees. If these aren't honeybees but instead are wasps such as yellowjackets, then I would stay away. They are more aggressive than honeybees but not as nasty as killer bees. Most yellowjackets nest in the ground. Jack (sorry for the long response - my dad kept honeybees when I was a kid and he was the one who went around rescuing the swarms from peoples' yards)

07-20-2012, 06:54 AM	#5
TER-OR Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dundee, IL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,699	I photograph bees all the time - and wasps etc... Don't disturb the nest. That's what they'll get angry about. And if they're yellowjackets - just walk away as mentioned above. Those are the most aggressive in my experience. The 100mm macro is a great bee lens.

07-20-2012, 10:04 AM	#6
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354 Original Poster	Originally posted by TER-OR I photograph bees all the time - and wasps etc... Don't disturb the nest. That's what they'll get angry about. And if they're yellowjackets - just walk away as mentioned above. Those are the most aggressive in my experience. The 100mm macro is a great bee lens. I must admit I chickened out I don't know if they were Africanized, but I do know that here in SD, there are some colonies of them around. So I approached the nest and they began buzzing around me after a few seconds. So I just left quickly and didn't feel the need to even risk it :/

07-26-2012, 05:12 PM	#7
psychdoc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bham Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 949	Originally posted by cali92rs I must admit I chickened out I don't know if they were Africanized, but I do know that here in SD, there are some colonies of them around. So I approached the nest and they began buzzing around me after a few seconds. So I just left quickly and didn't feel the need to even risk it :/ Here is your solution: Bee Suit * Veil Hood * FULL PROTECTION Honey Beekeeping * FREE GLOVES * XL Size on eBay! I am kidding. My dad kept bees too. As a hobby. He had a suit like this that my mom bought for him but he never used it. He hardly ever got stung anyway...I wore it once or twice when he wanted me to help him out sometimes.