Hieratic Bee Wolf



Bee Wolf

In Hymenoptera, males often appear one or two weeks before females.
One can see them foraging and waiting actively around the nest
where female will emerge...

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Bee wolves (Philanthus triangulum) are rather easy to identify, with the crown pattern above antennas, oval eyes of violine color and the triangular marks on the abdomen. Males only have to forage on flowers and wait for females. On the other hand, females capture and paralyze bees to feed the new generation.
Males frequently adopt this hieratic attitude. One could even say they keep it while flying...


All pictures taken in June 2006.
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Last update: August 2006
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