Toned cyanotype

This work was made about a specific bee :Lasioglossum villosulum, the Shaggy Furrow Bee, a solitary bee that chooses to nest in large aggregations.

Each of these circles represent aspects of the different habitats in which these bees live.

I have changed the colour of the cyanotype from it’s original blue with a toner made from dandelion leaves and roots which is one of the flowers that it forages for pollen and nectar. This has resulted in a browner appearance which represents the brown field sites which is one of its preferred habitats.

The gold metal leaf dots suggest the flight path of the bee as well as referencing the widely spaced punctures on its back which differentiate this bee from its close relatives.