Another One Tossing Around Pollen

Quick one from this morning. Shot before the sun came up over the mountain. Love that the catmint pollen is white – and that she’s making a mess. Good fun. Note the graininess of the shot. That’s caused by high ISO (which is an artifact of a fast shutter speed coupled with low light).

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Waving from a Tulip

I know she’s not. But sometimes it’s what it looks like. Been waiting a while for these tulips to both open and throw pollen. Still kinda cold today so the bees were sparse. But I found this little greedy one in this fantastic tulip. Check out that pollen basket on her. It’s kind of boxy-looking, but it’s huge. Getting kind of a ride’em beegirl vibe from this one. And they never last eight seconds. Always more work to be done. And that was a passel of mixed metaphors that made no sense. Apologies. I might be hungry.

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Might be a First on the Site – a Bee at 100pct

This is a really close crop – at 100pct. Meaning that I cut the middle out of the picture and didn’t reduce the size of it to post it here. Which I have done with every other shot I’ve posted. Just wanted to share a look at the detail, unshrunk (and undamaged by the shrinking algorithms).

From yesterday, btw. Weather was uncooperative today.

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Liatris in August

Still snow. Still cold. I’m sounding like I’m whining. I am. Want to be shooting new bees. Shouldn’t be complaining about the winter, of course, but I’m so very ready for spring. That bee mojo…need!

Meantime, this gorgeous little one has liatris pollen all over her face. Weird plant in that while you might think it would throw purple pollen, its pollen is white. Enjoy!

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Already December…Yet on an Agastache in August

Just a sweet shot of a little one on an agastache. From August of this year. A bit of pollen on her back and all over her face. This agastache is a beautiful plant, but it’s been miserable to shoot on/at. Because each stalk comes from the ground (it doesn’t branch) and the stalks are pretty tall, it’s vulnerable to flapping in even the mildest breeze. Then, the intervals at which it throws pollen (I guess), are odd so some days (and at some times of the day) there are bees…but often it has none. Finally, the wool carder bees seem to love this particular plant – and they’re very territorial. So when a honeybee manages to land, a wool carder will often knock her off just as I’m acquiring focus. Probably more than you wanted to know. But do know that I’m thrilled when I can get a good shot on this one. I like the plant lots. It’s beautiful and it’s been a nice challenge to shoot at/on it.

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Filthy Face on the Blanket Flower

Got in kind of late yesterday…but still had a bit of time with the camera in the gardens. And this is what I came up with. Don’t know why it delights me so to see the pollen all over…but it does. Such a cute one. And you get a good look at her mandibles, too. As you go through these pics, have a look at where the antennae are. And you’ll notice that they’re all over the place. Got a shot yesterday on a semp with one antenna on each side of a blossom.

But enjoy the pollen today!

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Salvia all Summer!

Like going back to the well for more…and all summer long! The pollen on her face is fantastic. And the background is so much fun in this pic.

Traveling back from the festival in Colorado today. Hope I arrive before the bees turn in for the night. I know I’ll have missed shooting for those days on the road. Often say that I couldn’t pay for therapy that the bees and camera give me. So settling to my soul. Look at the little one on that flower…in that garden…I’m sure the idea will resonate with you.

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Neat Native Face

Pretty sure that this is a sweat bee, but I’m not 100pct on that. I’m entirely sure that it’s a neat shot, though. Look at that pollen all over her.

Hail the day before yesterday – right on schedule after the taller irises opened. Every year. And looks like the hail tore up the petal a little on the right side of this one. Every year.

Low forties overnight here. Very cold all day no bees out in the rain today. May showers bring??? Stream of consciousness yammering, apparently.

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