Euphoria in a prickly pear cactus flower

No sooner do the flowers of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) appear here each spring than the Euphoria kernii beetles get into a state of euphoria inside them, as you see in this photograph taken along Bluegrass Dr. on May 1st. Notice that some much smaller insects were also profiting from the pollen and nectar in the cactus flower.

© 2015 Steven Schwartzman