Focus Stacked Image Carpenter Bee Mandibles: Okay, I admit that this one is a bit difficult to understand without some help. It is a magnified focus stacked image of a Carpenter Bee...

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Okay, I admit that this one is a bit difficult to understand without some help. It is a magnified focus stacked image of a Carpenter Bee mandibles. It is the biting parts that are used to make those perfectly round holes we often see in the timbers around our homes and in the trees where they deposit their eggs in them. This one also has its tongue sticking out at me which is its way of telling me what it thinks about me.

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UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

We are back to Star Wars, Gary!

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

UTMike wrote:

We are back to Star Wars, Gary!

Thanks, UTMike. Another alien looking creature when viewed up close.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

sippyjug104 wrote:

Okay, I admit that this one is a bit difficult to understand without some help. It is a magnified focus stacked image of a Carpenter Bee mandibles. It is the biting parts that are used to make those perfectly round holes we often see in the timbers around our homes and in the trees where they deposit their eggs in them. This one also has its tongue sticking out at me which is its way of telling me what it thinks about me.

Fantastic image Gary
But spooky as all get-out

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Whoa! Looks like a screen test for the thing. 😀
Lots of work involved. Good job.
Thanks

L-Fox

sippyjug104 wrote:

Okay, I admit that this one is a bit difficult to understand without some help. It is a magnified focus stacked image of a Carpenter Bee mandibles. It is the biting parts that are used to make those perfectly round holes we often see in the timbers around our homes and in the trees where they deposit their eggs in them. This one also has its tongue sticking out at me which is its way of telling me what it thinks about me.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Manglesphoto wrote:

Fantastic image Gary
But spooky as all get-out

Thanks, I find it quite amazing that the Carpenter Bee can bore a hole so round that if I didn't know better I would believe it to have been done with a drill bit. Even more surprising is that they all appear to be the same diameter.

Their mandibles are small and if you look closely you will see that the edges are serrated. The "sawdust" they produce is ultra fine, nearly dust, so they don't rip out chunks they grind the wood away.

When they bore into dead trees the woodpeckers tear the heck out of them to get at the grubs so they look for trees were the bark has fallen where they can spot the holes.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Toment wrote:

Whoa! Looks like a screen test for the thing. 😀
Lots of work involved. Good job.
Thanks

Thanks, thing look quite different when viewed under magnification.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

l-fox wrote:

Thanks for dropping by.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Looks like he has had hair implants. Another great stack, sippy.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

Very cool stack Gary. I like the lighting. Really gives it that "other worldly" vibe. Fine job.
>i< Doc

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

kpmac wrote:

Looks like he has had hair implants. Another great stack, sippy.

Thanks, Kpmac. Perhaps I could go to the same practitioner for hair implants too!

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

docshark wrote:

Very cool stack Gary. I like the lighting. Really gives it that "other worldly" vibe. Fine job.
>i< Doc

Thanks, Doc. I find it interesting that evolution has programmed creatures to replicate the behavior of its previous generation for they are on their own with no other of their species to mentor or care for them.

Dr J Loc: NE Florida

Another impressive shot! Always look forward to your posts!

phlash46 Loc: Westchester County, New York

May the force be wi9th you...