Larkspurs can look kind of weedy sometimes. But I really like them. Especially when they’re dense. And this is a really good shot of them and the bumble – that top blossom is especially neat looking. The bumbles love them but they’re kind of hard to shoot on them because the bumbles are heavy enough to pull the stalk down some. Add a bit of a breeze to that – your inherently shaky photographer – and it gets a little rough finding that sharp focus. This one worked well, though. And don’t forget to notice the pollen baskets on either side of her.
Tag: Bombus
Dark Yellow and Golden Bumble
Seems like the last few have had suspect light. And we’ll continue the streak today. This one was shot toward the end of August right at the crack of noon. The shadows on the flower indicate that it was sunny…not sure I understand the weirdness of the light. But the bee is great. Maybe this one is due for editing by someone more skilled than I. I like it, though. And she’s a gorgeous bee.
Shot at the Ogden Botanical Garden.
Workin’ the Salvia Azura
Another one with less than great light, but the plant is fantastic. And the bumble ain’t bad either. One thing I like about this plant is the blue blue blue of it. So few are this blue – usually purple sneaks in . You saw the azura in the name, right?
The other thing about this salvia is that it’s just so tall. Probably five feet at least. And each stalk comes from the ground…and it’s usually a little breezy here (or worse). So getting a sharp grab on this one is pretty rare for me. This is a good one.
Another on the Penstemmon
I’ve mentioned this before, but most of the in-flight shots that happen to be really near a flower aren’t bees approaching, but bees coming out of the flower (as is the case here). So neat that they fly backward. But full disclosure here: whenever I look at those shots, I always half-think (even though I know better) that they’re flying toward the flower. Wonder why that is.
Golden Bumble Flying – Agastache
A good August Look. This particular agastache looks kind of ratty sometimes, but the bees are always on and around it. And that counts for something. A good grab of a beautiful be looking for lunch. Busy background…but that’s reality.
Laden Bumble in Flight
Pretty neat shot. I like that you can see so many of the legs hanging down…as well as the tongue split and the antennae. Wings, too. Lots going on in this pic and lots I don’t often see on one in flight. That is, of course, Russian Sage. If you’re looking for a plant that’s not very thirsty, blooms for most of the season (early summer until the frost), and attracts all manner of pollinators, Russian Sage fits the bill. They’re really fantastic. And really bulletproof-hearty.
Bumble on a Sunflower…Leaf
Another brutally long day. But some progress. About ready to file everything in the “bitten off more than I can chew” bucket.
But this site is about bees – not kvetching. So here’s a great one from August. Some interesting composition and bokeh – and the bee looks great, too. If you look closely, you get a good look at the claws on the two front legs as they grip the edge of the leaf. Another interesting thing to note is that you can see that the leaf has a thickness. Of course it does, but it’s not something I think about when I think of leaves. Note, too, that the grasshoppers have been to work on that particular leaf…like just about everything else in the garden.
A Rare Sight: Bumble in the Asters
I see lots of natives in the asters – especially the sweat bees. The honeybees make the asters pulse with life…but I so so so seldom get a bumble in them. Here’s one from yesterday. Got a few great shots of it working on the flowers, but I’m a sucker for in-flight shots. So that’s what you get today. So many asters, too. They change and hybridize and wander through the garden. Gorgeous! Oh, and there’s a bonus honeybee that’s almost in focus.
The Third of that Three-fer
Another bumble on the cone flower. This one may be a golden…or may not. Third of three bees (and note there’s no honeybee in the three-fer, tho there well could have been) on the cone flower. This one was shot in some pretty bad light so there’s a bit of a graininess to it, but it’s a great look at her face.
The First of a Three-fer
The next three days are shots of the same flower… A really nice, pink cone flower. And they’re to illustrate the variety of the bees that collect pollen on that flower. Today’s is a pretty rare (at least in my experience) grey and black bumble. And the sunburst in the back is neat – as are the stacked cone flowers.
