As a result of my promise under the Photographing Hidden
Gems post on 3 June, here is the first of a mini-series of stories based on some
of my insect photographs
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| CARPENTER BEE ( |
It was his nature to be solitary. He flitted from flower to
flower, searching, feeding. Always searching, always feeding, always alone. No hive for the likes of him.
Something.
He paused between the flowers, testing the air for
intruders.
Uncertain, he hovered, turning first one way, then the
other. A vibration ruffled his iridescent navy blue wings. It was barely perceptible,
yet it sparked a need, a longing, an imperative.
He turned a full circle, perplexed. The vibration receded.
A scent distracted his attention. He descended to land on
the thistle’s purple flower head. He crawled into position and
probed until his proboscis found the channel leading to the nectar.
Now the vibration interrupted his feeding again, so subtle
he almost missed it. The imperative strengthened.
What?
He lifted away from the thistle and turned to face the
disturbance. A distant shape was coming towards him. The imperative overcame
his instinct to flee. Instead he flew directly towards the shape, his body humming
and pulsing in bewilderment and excitement.
The shape coalesced into another Carpenter bee and when he
reached her his confusion dissolved.
Their tiny bodies briefly joined in fleeting harmony, the
imperative to mate overcoming their shy dispositions.
She immediately began to search for suitable wood in which
to drill and lay her eggs. He dutifully followed. Soon he would have a nest to
guard.
This little chap received a passing mention in my travel
essay ‘African for Softies’ published in the Writers Abroad anthology: Foreign
and Far Away
What a beautifully-written story, with a nature lesson as a bonus!
ReplyDeleteI loved your use of the word 'imperative'.
Thanks, Lizy - and very pleased that my deliberate emphasis on the word 'imperative' worked for you.
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