As I was about to take this photo of the first giant purple iris of the season, a green orchid bee photo-bombed — or should I say “bee bombed” — the image.

Native to Mexico and Central America, the metallic green bee was first spotted in Broward County, FL, in 2003. It’s now fully established, expanding its flower appetite from orchids to include other fragrant, pollen rich flowers — such as, apparently, irises.

Aside from its emerald coloring, the bee stands out among other bees because it’s solitary and doesn’t live in hives or colonies. Instead, it chooses to live alone in nooks and crannies above ground. In addition, the male green bee is responsible for pollinating flowers.

I know I have at least one or two buzzing around the yard. I’ve seen then, but they’re difficult to capture in a photo. They’re quite fast and skittish, often flying and hovering before zipping away as I approach.

Capturing this moment was a fantastic surprise — and a gift. It’s the little things, isn’t it?