One morning as I walked around my yard, I noticed the bee activity on the Magnolia flowers. The sun was just right, rising from the east, bathing the flower in warm, spring air and light. I never really paid much attention to the flower before. As I stood there admiring its colorful center, I found myself intrigued with the bees who came to visit. In addition to bees (and bumblebees), flower flies, a few types of stink bugs, leafhoppers and several other types of insects are also found visiting magnolia flowers attracted by their nutritious pollen and nectar. But most of them arrive at the flowers too late, after the blooms are past their prime and are not receptive for pollination. So it is the beetles that carry the lion's share of the responsibility for perpetuating these plants. Shot with my Canon EOS 60D, macro lens, no flash, no tripod.