Very pleased to capture this little lady today!

**nctomatoman** · July 15, 2010

I just changed the food in the feeder - some bees found it quickly, but so did she!

Timmah! · July 15, 2010

Nice photo. Reminded me to refill my feeder.

rxkeith · July 15, 2010

i refilled my feeder a few hours ago too. no photo, like yours craig, but they're out there. i really like watching the hummers. i don't like being surprised by them though, because they always sound like the biggest baddest bumble bee when they go flying by.

keith

beeman · July 15, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

I just changed the food in the feeder - some bees found it quickly, but so did she!

Indentification of insects should be made compulsory in schools. Photo number 3 shows a wasp....not a bee

remy · July 15, 2010

Great pics! I've tried to take pics of hummers at flowers, but have never had any luck. One day I'll get a few good shots.
Remy

shlacm · July 15, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman

Indentification of insects should be made compulsory in schools. Photo number 3 shows a wasp....not a bee

LOL, I don't know the technical way to tell them apart, but I sure knew that was a wasp! Bees good

Wasps bad

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · July 15, 2010

Nice!! First year with a feeder here only have one that uses it but hopefully more will find it.

Craig

**Lee** · July 15, 2010

Actually wasps can be quite good... just check out the ones
that parasitize horn worms and fruit worms!

Of course that is a yellow jacket, not a wasp. Those are nasty
little things IMHO.

Nice pix though Craig!

Lee

**nctomatoman** · July 15, 2010

Thanks, Lee, for bringing the thread back to the major point - the hummingbird! (and yes, I misidentified the flying insects.....they are nasty little fellas, I suppose!)

Wi-sunflower · July 16, 2010

Yup, those "yellow jackets" are often mis-labeled as "bees" around here too. They are nasty critters and give bees a bad name.

They are more scavengers than workers and tend to hang around the farmers markets in droves near the end of summer. They can scare some customers since they will sting indiscriminately, unlike bees. Many of the bakery stands will put yellow jacket traps high up in their canopies to try to keep them away from the main part of their stand. But even us vegie sellers will have problems with them til frost kills them.

Carol

**Lee** · July 16, 2010

These Hummingbirds must become familiar with the feeders like you have Craig.
We have an empty one on the deck that my wife hasn't filled up yet. The other
day a hummingbird flew up to it twice to see if there was anything in it!

Must have thought it was like the neighbor's feeders.....

Looking at the wings, makes me wonder what your shutter speed was. I'm
guess that bird is hitting a pretty high wing velocity!

Lee

**nctomatoman** · July 16, 2010

Was on the camera auto setting - typically it is 400 at that time of day....on a bright day I can use the 3000 setting and see if I can freeze those wings!

shlacm · July 17, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

Actually wasps can be quite good... just check out the ones
that parasitize horn worms and fruit worms!

Of course that is a yellow jacket, not a wasp. Those are nasty
little things IMHO.

Nice pix though Craig!

Lee

I believe those are what we called "meat bees" when I was a kid... I suppose they are quite good at cleaning up dead animals, but they sure are vicious little suckers.

WOOHOO!!!! My 100th post!

Timmah! · July 17, 2010

Have alot of robber flyies around my garden. Always thought they are the coolest insect. Like a sports car, they look fast just sitting still.

July 15, 2010	#5
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Great pics! I've tried to take pics of hummers at flowers, but have never had any luck. One day I'll get a few good shots. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

July 15, 2010	#8
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Actually wasps can be quite good... just check out the ones that parasitize horn worms and fruit worms! Of course that is a yellow jacket, not a wasp. Those are nasty little things IMHO. Nice pix though Craig! Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

July 15, 2010	#9
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Thanks, Lee, for bringing the thread back to the major point - the hummingbird! (and yes, I misidentified the flying insects.....they are nasty little fellas, I suppose!) __________________ Craig

July 16, 2010	#11
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	These Hummingbirds must become familiar with the feeders like you have Craig. We have an empty one on the deck that my wife hasn't filled up yet. The other day a hummingbird flew up to it twice to see if there was anything in it! Must have thought it was like the neighbor's feeders..... Looking at the wings, makes me wonder what your shutter speed was. I'm guess that bird is hitting a pretty high wing velocity! Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

July 16, 2010	#12
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Was on the camera auto setting - typically it is 400 at that time of day....on a bright day I can use the 3000 setting and see if I can freeze those wings! __________________ Craig

July 15, 2010	#2
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	Nice photo. Reminded me to refill my feeder.

July 15, 2010	#3
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,849	i refilled my feeder a few hours ago too. no photo, like yours craig, but they're out there. i really like watching the hummers. i don't like being surprised by them though, because they always sound like the biggest baddest bumble bee when they go flying by. keith

July 15, 2010	#7
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	Nice!! First year with a feeder here only have one that uses it but hopefully more will find it. Craig

July 16, 2010	#10
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Yup, those "yellow jackets" are often mis-labeled as "bees" around here too. They are nasty critters and give bees a bad name. They are more scavengers than workers and tend to hang around the farmers markets in droves near the end of summer. They can scare some customers since they will sting indiscriminately, unlike bees. Many of the bakery stands will put yellow jacket traps high up in their canopies to try to keep them away from the main part of their stand. But even us vegie sellers will have problems with them til frost kills them. Carol

July 17, 2010	#14
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	Have alot of robber flyies around my garden. Always thought they are the coolest insect. Like a sports car, they look fast just sitting still.