{"id":74118,"date":"2019-08-02T04:51:32","date_gmt":"2019-08-02T10:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=74118"},"modified":"2019-08-02T06:20:30","modified_gmt":"2019-08-02T12:20:30","slug":"closeups-of-a-willow-flycatcher-with-a-wasp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/02\/closeups-of-a-willow-flycatcher-with-a-wasp\/","title":{"rendered":"Closeups Of A Willow Flycatcher With A Wasp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Including a good look at the wasp’s stinger.<\/p>\n

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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning in the mountains this Willow Flycatcher landed close to me with a wasp in its bill. Obviously this photo (and the others I took) has issues, especially the out of focus perch snaking toward the viewer and in front of the bird, but with this close proximity I had a very good look at the wasp.<\/p>\n

I’ve photographed a variety of songbirds with stinging insects as prey and they always seem to be very aware of the potential for being stung. They usually grasp it by its rear end since the stinger would have no effect on their horny bill and then make sure it’s dead before swallowing it. This flycatcher did that and for extra insurance beat the snot out of the wasp by slamming it against the perch multiple times. In the end that sucker was dead!<\/p>\n

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Flycatchers have hooked bills…<\/p>\n

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for very good reason. You wouldn’t want a pissed off wasp to get away and seek revenge before it was truly a goner. At this point the wasp was still alive and kicking, literally.<\/p>\n

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1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

In this later shot of the same bird we have a pretty darn good look at the business end of the wasp, its stinger. Sharp little bugger, isn’t it. And it’s long enough that it could penetrate multiple layers of feathers.<\/p>\n

Stingers are modified ovipositors but unlike bee stingers wasp stingers are barbless so wasps can sting their victims multiple times. Usually the stinger is hidden inside a sheath but the trauma this wasp went through exposed it.<\/p>\n

When it comes to wasp stings I’m a pansy-ass so I think I’d go without the meal rather than risk it. But if chocolate donuts could sting I’d be in big trouble.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

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Notes: <\/em><\/p>\n