Another Leafcutter but on a Chocolate Daisy

Very different look at the same (species of) bee as yesterday. Great face. And that mustache. Looks like a baleen, almost. One of my favorite bees. Don’t know if I like the flowers or not. They bloom early in the day and are often closed up by the time I get to shooting. And they get ratty-looking pretty quickly. But they smell good in the morning. And really broadcast the scent.

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Native Leafcutter on the Russian Sage

A couple of years ago, our neighbors replaced their grass parking strip with a water-wise garden. In addition to a number of other things, they planted four Russian Sages. The garden looks great and I love the sages because they so many attract bees and other pollinators. Don’t think I’ve ever shot this particular leafcutter before. It’s really a neat one.

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Native Tongue Heading Your Way

I think this is a leafcutter just finishing up on a blanket flower. There were several in this series, but I liked this one (and this crop) best. I especially like the position/shape of her front legs folded like they are. And her face is perfect!

Heading out today to get some Yellowstone in before the festival in Idaho Falls this weekend. Hoping for some good light and some good shots!

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Another on the Weedy Daisy

That’s not the flower’s real name. Not sure what it is. But it’s a .neat one and I quite like it. Seeds profusely and pops up all over in the gardens. Fun to see where it comes up in the late spring. And, of course, the pollinators love it. This is a leafcutter bee. Note the tongue at work. And the really neat eyes.

I’m going to be at the Snowmass Art Festival (near Aspen, Colorado) with my stuff on Saturday and Sunday of this week. Drop by and have a look if you are in the area.

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Just a Great Pic of a Honey Bee on Lavender

The lavender is just now opening. Means summer is starting. Here’s a great bee on a great example of lavender. I like the composition and the colors. The greens and purples seem to do really well together. And I like the green in the upper left, too – a little definition but not much. Good look at her face, wings, and antennae. And there’s not too much of the lavender in the foreground that’s out of focus. Looked great printed. Might be a candidate for next year’s calendar. One more thing to be thinking about…

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What a Great Face on the Russian Sage!

I really like their faces. They still confuse me a little because they look so different from different angles. Neat one today, though. Good look at her face and wings. Tongue, too.

2020 has been a hell of a year. If you do anything at all this weekend, please be kind to those in your orbit. Remain mindful of others’ humanity as well as your own. Not a lot we can do about a lot of things, but we can control how we behave – how we treat people.

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