Description
A wool carder bee on a fuzzy pink bloom against blue — and if you thought “wasp” for a second, you’re in good company. That’s exactly why most people never realize they’ve seen one. The interrupted yellow spots down the sides of the abdomen, the yellow-flecked legs and thorax: it reads like a yellowjacket until you look at the hair.
And the hair is the whole answer. Every one of those pale bristles on her face and thorax is branched — plumose, like a tiny feather — which is the single defining feature of a bee. Wasps have smooth hair. Branched hair is a pollen-catching device, and it is why bees pollinate the world and wasps mostly don’t.
This is a high-resolution digital download of the photograph, made in Portland, Oregon — yours to print for your home, set as a wallpaper, or simply keep.
What you’ll receive: a high-resolution JPEG, approximately 4836 × 3456 pixels — sharp enough to print at full photo quality up to about 16.1 × 11.5 inches at 300 DPI, and larger for wall display. Delivered as an instant download the moment your order is complete.
License: Personal use only. Print it for your own home, use it as a wallpaper or screen background, enjoy it yourself. Not licensed for commercial use, resale, redistribution, or AI training. © Jonathan Swanson / JonSwan Productions. All rights reserved.