At this time last year I was at the military training area De Stompert to look for the grey sand bee (Andrena). It is not rare or particularly beautiful. However, I was told a part of the population becomes active a few weeks too early, because they are infected with a parasite: Stylops, a tiny fly. The females of the Stylops have hatched in the body of the bee and manipulate the nerve system in a way that the bees hatch too early and become slow. This is because then the male Stylops, which are rather slow themselves, can approach the bees and mate with the female Stylopses. The females only have to stick out their abdomen. With a fish-eye I have captured this infected bee, that climbs out of its nest. How sophisticated can evolution be!

Welcome at my new site and blog! From now on the blog will be integrated with my site, so www.miratio.blogspot.com is obsolete.

View the gallery for photos of my projects and themes. Read my blog-posts for recent work and the story behind it. Visit the projects-page to know more about my long-term projects. To see regular updates about my daily activities, go to my Facebook page. On LinkedIn you will find everything about my professional life. And I will publish news about my book on the special Facebook page Missie Natuur. So there is enough to see, to read and to learn about my work and my drive. Have fun and be inspired!

Cheers, Niels