As I mentioned in my last post. Catherine and I are working late nights observing black widow behaviour, so I do not really get the opportunity to go out at dawn as much as I normally like to. We have begun to take Friday and Saturday nights off, however, so assuming I can get my sleep schedule quickly reorganized, dawn shoots are possible!
This morning, I went out to Mt. Tolmie, in the hopes of seeing a spectacular dawn. Unfortunately, the light and colour were a bit subdued, but I did manage to get some snakefly photos with some colour in the sky.
![IMG_1164](http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_1164.jpg)
Imagine this, but with a blazing orange sky, and some direct sun peeking through the wings….Someday!
Snakeflies were about all that was on offer at Mt. Tolmie, so after breakfast I headed down to Dallas Road, on the shore near Beacon Hill Park. I knew of an Anthophora bomboides colony, and hoped to get some pics of them waking up.
![IMG_1354](http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_1354.jpg)
On a steeper slope, the nest shave no turrets, presumably because incoming rain and debris are not a problem. I found a few bees poking their heads out, but none sunning or getting ready to fly until…
![IMG_1333](http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_1333.jpg)
Right in front of me, a male grabbed and attempted to copulate with this female. I didn’t get the male in the shot, but here is the female looking stunned on the ground.
![IMG_1347](http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_1347.jpg)
You can see where hey get the specific name “bomboides“, as they look very similar to local bumblebees.
![IMG_1460](http://ibycter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_1460.jpg)
And to cap off a very productive morning, I ran into one of my favourite running crab spiders of all time, Tibellus oblongus!
Good work, and as usual, very well-presented and interesting.
Good work, and as usual, vert well-presented and interesting.