Waiting on a package and need to be able to hear the doorbell. So no nonsense narrative today. Only alliteration. I guess. Enjoy!
Quick Hit Today – Another Liatris
Tag: Bombus
Hunt’s Bumble on a Scabiosa
Guess these are also called pincushion flowers. So the title today could have read, “Bedhead Bee on a Pincushion Flower”. I shot this one at the Ogden Botanical Gardens in June of this year.
From the “who knew” department, the flower is a traditional medicine for scabies – hence the name. Neat.
DoubleBumble on a Sunflower
Looks like they’re both brown-belted bumbles. That doesn’t always happen. The same species, I mean, sharing a blossom. The other thing that rarely happens is having two bees in (near) focus at the same time. But here’s a nice, pollen-covered pair. Couple more months until the crocuses? We’ve had some in January, so here’s hoping. They’re nestled under the snow for now.
Just a Bumble on a Liatris
Nothing out of the ordinary… Just a cute bumble on a liatris. But you really get a good look at the three ocelli on her forehead. Five eyes. Wow. And great colors.
Brown-belted Bumble on a Sunflower
This is the whole shot. No cropping. Like the focus on the eye and face. The foreground and background out of focus can be a little tough on some of my shots. There’s a “rule” in photography that the foreground out of focus distracts. Maybe it does. But with bees, and so much of life, keeping the focus in the right spot seems key. Irrespective of whatever else is going on around – both fore and back. And the sunflower doesn’t seem to mind.
Bumble on the Blanket Flower
Two days in a row on the blanket flower – illustrating its range attracting pollinators. Beautiful bumble with some great detail!
Two Bumbles Sharing the Liatris
I think the title says it all. This one is fading now. I like the shadow on the right side of it. Probably doesn’t do much for the composition, but I think it is a neat look. Wish this one started earlier and ended later. Great wings today.
Bombus huntii on a Caryopteris – or Bluebeard
Well, I didn’t know until today that the common name of this plant is Bluebeard. Much easier to remember than Caryopteris.
Great plant for late summer pollinators. Always seems to be teeming with life – and bees. It’s a tough one to shoot because of the way it grows. Seems a little Dr. Seuss-ian. Notice how, in this picture, at least, there’s a huge explosion of flowers and buds at the top of the stalk. There are others underneath it – and they tend to throw shadows all over themselves – the tops working like parasols.
Anyway – this is a neat shot and posture of the Bombus huntii. Beadhead bee. Look at the detail in the wing – and the pollen on the back. Printed this one on metallic paper and it’s a winner.
Bumbleface on a Liatris
Great pollen on the eye. Tongue is obscured by the flower, though. This one is in full bloom and really attracts bees of all kinds. Yesterday I saw two natives, a bunch of honeybees, and three different kinds of bumbles on this liatris. Gorgeous. And that’s a sunflower in the background above the bumble. Little pollen grains on its eye…
Bombus Huntii on the Liatris
The liatris again. Really wonderful plant for late-summer pollinators. In this case, a Bombus huntii – or, as I’ve named it – the bed-head bee. All of the other bees look so well-groomed. But this one looks just unkempt. Rolled out of bed and meeting the world. I like the look. This bee is a favorite of mine – might be that I can relate.
