Tag: Native

Sweat Bee on a Partridge Feather

This is a neat (if not fairly aggressive) ground cover. Most of the year, it’s greeney-silvery leaves, but in the early summer it throws up blossoms like those in the pic. It’s pretty cold hardy (does well to zone 4) and doesn’t take much water. In fact, it doesn’t want much water.

Don’t have very many shots of bees on it because I’m either not paying great attention when it’s in bloom (so much of the rest of the garden is then, too) or it doesn’t throw all that much pollen. So it was neat to see this little sweat bee on it when I was looking for a pic for today.

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One More Day…and a Tiny Sweat Bee

Here’s a really, really, really tiny sweat bee on a single ‘mum petal. About the size of a grain of rice, give or take. Really, really tiny. And quite cute.

Rough to try to get focus on this one. Might be able to tell given how much/little of the ‘mum is in focus. But pretty compelling, I think.

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A Sweat Bee on a Ratty-looking Chrysanthemum

Late, late, late again. What a day. Missed a funeral I very much wanted to attend. Gallery leased, remodeling begins tomorrow. What a day.

Got to shoot for about ten minutes this afternoon between and among the mess of the day. Manged to get a number of good shots and enjoy myself just a little. In other, sadder news the honeybees were bundled up this evening and are preparing for their journey to the almond groves of California. Can’t wait for spring, and fall isn’t even over yet. Always makes me a little sad to see the bees go south.

But hey, this is a great bee. And one that is going to stick around! Enjoy.

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Finally…a Leafcutter…on Lavender

First, I think I’ve got the lease settled for a physical storefront/gallery. That’s exciting. Won’t be all bees, of course, but they will have prominent space.

Second, I got a few today that weren’t on the ‘mums. Here’s a leafcutter (that infamous “abdomen-up” bee) on the second bloom of the lavender. Some shadows, but I really had wondered if I’d had my last good bee day. Was a good one today. Easy to excuse the shadows.

Third, I might have figured out why I’m not much of a fan of chrysanthemums. First, it might be that after Memorial Day in the cemeteries, those in those foil-wrapped plastic pots look nasty and trashy. I realize that they don’t get the water/care that they need, but they strike me as cheap and temporary…and ultimately depressing. Second, they seem to be the cheap (that word again), go-to flower when you’re panicked and in the grocery store. Something that ubiquitous and inexpensive can’t have much value, right? Wow, that was more than any of you asked. Next step: love ’em for what they are. I’ve sure gotten some great pics on them. And they do serve the bees well.

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One of my Favorite Faces

This is a metallic green sweat bee coming out of a sunflower. I just love the color, texture, face, and eye(s). Those three little bumps on the top of the head are eyes, too (ocelli-simple eyes – in contrast to the compound eyes on either side of the head). As far as the metallic ones go, I think the metallic mason bees are a bit neater because they’re whole-body metallic. But the face of the sweat bee is just super. The depth of focus is so tough. On one level, I’d prefer that everything were in focus (see also: focus stacking). On another…and my level (given that I shoot handheld, too)…I think it’s better art when focus (and lack of it) is part of the piece. My site, my preference, I guess. Plus you’ve got to kill or incapacitate the bees to do the focus stacking (or use a focus rail…or whatever else one might do in the not-handheld world). Phew. Happy Friday!

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Can’t for the Life of Me…

…recall the name of this bee. Looks very much like a longhorn and it’s in the sunflower, but I don’t think that’s it. If I can reclaim that bit of my leaky brain, I’ll edit the post. Meantime, enjoy the bee and the neat, red-tinged sunflower. Beautiful.

In other news, I’m trying to get the resources and location together for a gallery here in Ogden, Utah – and the process is rife with hiccups and dead ends. Please send good thoughts this way. I think it’s time for that to happen.

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Some Strange Antenna Articulation

Current festival: On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (September 4-6), I’ll be in Avon, Colorado in Nottingham Park with my art. Stop by and have a look. Bonus here is that on Monday night, Los Lobos will be playing a free show.

Yesterday, the longhorns were all over this particular goldenrod. Tried to catch multiples in a single shot, but failed at that. This one, though, really struck me. I’ve seen them do some strange things with their antennae, but never seen an arc like this. Just curling all the way around. I’ve also never seen them so enthusiastic about the goldenrod. Normally, they prettymuch stick to ths sunflowers. Fun fact: Only female longhorns have stingers. The males don’t. Not entirely sure how to figure out the difference, though, except for that. And that method seems dumb.

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