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.

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A Bit Hasty Condemning the Liatris

Normally, there’s one primary spot for the liatris around here. And it really didn’t have a good year there. However…it wanders. Either by itself or with help. And a couple of patches have shown up late. And, of course, they’re bee-laden. Such a neat sight. Got some triplebumbles yesterday, but haven’t looked at them yet on the big screen.

So today you get a beautiful, pollen-covered honeybee girl. And she’s darned cute!

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Dreamy on the Liatris

Really disappointed with the liatris this year. Only a few stalks and pretty anemic at that. Some years are better than others. I think it’s a self-seeder so maybe next year. Only got a few good shots on it and I think that this is one. The bee seems a different color from the those in the three hives we have here. Can’t be sure, of course. I like this shot. Settling, somehow.

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Overtime 033-050 – I give up!!

Getting late. Wanted to finish posting these. But it’s not going to happen today unless I do it this way. So I think the final tally will be: 150 bee shots, 10 or so bonus (quasi-) pollinator shots, and one beebaby iris shot.

Here are the rest of ’em:

Rude one on a Semp – those mandibles!!!! Stuff of nightmares?
Sweat Bee on a Hyacinth
And the Liatris…
Beeneck…and those eyes.
Oh, those pollen buckets!
Brown-belted on a Sunflower…again
Escaping the Tulip
The Cone Flower rides again…or maybe…it’s the one being ridden?
Not Quite the Last Aster
Great face on that huntii
Tiny, tiny, tiny one with two tulips.
The last of the sedums
Approaching the Liatris to reload
The last Russian Sage
The last Cone Flower
Hard to believe, but the last aster. It also occurs to me that everyone will be viewing this backward to how I posted it. So prepare yourself – many more asters to follow!
Fantastic Agastache
The last of the last of the last – from the third swarm (May 2020). Phew!!
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Bee 080 – Honeybee on a Liatris

I’m really surprised that more of this flower didn’t show up. I had to reject a few that were too dark, but I have so many neat shots of all kinds of bees and other pollinators on this one. Maybe I was in the wrong folders…

Anyhow, check out that pollen bucket…and its color. You’d think the pollen from this one would be purple. But it’s not – it’s white-ish. And she’s laden.

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Yesterday’s Bee – on a Meadow Blazing Star

Another from the family Megachilidae – on a Meadow Blazing Star

Liatris ligulistylis – as noted, an amazing flower for attracting pollinators. Here’s the same species (unknown) from yesterday. I love the detail on face and eye.

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Bonus!

Monarch on a Rocky Mountain or Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis)

This site is about bees. But now and then, I’ll post a bonus pic of something else interesting. And today, it’s a Monarch on a Liatris.

It’s a fantastic plant for attracting pollinators of all kinds. Here in the Rockies, it blooms like mad all through August and is often teeming – buzzing – flapping – with life. Interestingly, the pollen isn’t purple, but it’s white. Sometime in the future, I’ll post pics of native bees, honeybees, bumbles, pollinating wasps, as well as other butterflies enjoying the Liatris. Keep watching. And plant one for yourself!

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