I has some success photographing butterflies without disturbing them by
placing between 1 and 3 extension rings between the body of the camera and a
long (200mm) lens.  With a tripod about 10 feet from the subject I could get
a butterfly to fill the lens and therefore the photo.  There was a very small
depth of focus - about from front to back of the butterfly.

You might like to try this with bees.

Chris