Didn’t have time or bees to take more than twenty shots today. Not a great one, but the best of the lot. Beetongue is fun, though.
Tag: Siberian Squill
Great Look at the Siberian Squill – in Flight!
Exceeded my word quota yesterday…so this one, shot today, can speak for itself…
Siberian Squill Pollen
Crocuses are still rioting. Kind of warm today. Almost mid-fifties or so. So I got a bunch of neat shots on them (maybe a bonus coming up…). Saw some of these Siberian Squills the other day (they’ve not been cancelled yet, have they???…ugh.) but no bees on them yet. Until today. One in flight. And one really saddlebaggey. Love those pollen baskets. And the blue pollen just delights me.
Bonus – Everyone Loves the Squills
Including this black, thread-waisted wasp. Maybe not everyone. I learned that some say that the Siberian Squill is invasive and that it will take over a garden. So there’s that. Guess it depends some on the climate. They have kind of set up an autonomous zone under a cherry tree here…have to keep an eye ;).
Yesterday’s Bumble – Hunt’s Bumble Queen Over the Squills
Apparently, this is a Hunt’s bumble queen. I usually call the Hunt’s “the bedhead bee” because it looks so unkempt. Apparently the queen pays more attention to her grooming than the other gals. Who knew? This one looks well kempt.
So stupid cold lately. 24 degrees as of this writing…which most likely means the bees will be hunkering down today. Spring in Utah. Shouldn’t complain. Beautiful, really.
Bonus – Contrasting Colors and a Wasp
Paper wasp on a Siberian Squill. Lots of those lately. They seem to like what the squill has to offer. Or…maybe they’re just hunting because that’s where the other critters are currently. The orange-ey looking succulent is Sedum Angelina. One of my very favorites. Great ground cover. Today it’s mostly orange. But it can be green, brown, yellow, orange, or even red. Depending. One of the reasons I like it so much is that while it spreads everywhere fast (and keeps the weeds down, mostly), it’s pretty easy to remove. That’s not always the case with effective ground covers. So here’s a paper wasp face.
Going Back to Yesterday’s Squillery
I really, really like this shot. Lots. And lots. You get a good look at the blossom as well as the bee. And you really see the blue pollen clearly.
Don’t think I’m going to have time to shoot today, so tossing this one out early to get this task off my plate. Hope you feel something similar to what I do when I look at this one.
Finally on the Siberian Squill
Been waiting for shooting on the squill. But it was really cold today. And cloudy. And I made an error when I attached a 1.4x converter in that narrow window I had. When you put a converter (magnifier) between the lens and the camera, it really eats up a lot of light. And it was quite dark and cloudy for those few minutes I had to shoot. Wrong day for the converter. Not that it matters, ultimately. Because here’s a bee on the squill ;). Likely one from the returned hives. Does my heart good to see. And that blue pollen! Not only in the basket, but all over her.
Maybe tomorrow is warmer with a bit more light. Doesn’t really matter. A spring day is a spring day is a good day. I expect that from tomorrow.
Not Quite the Squill I Wanted, but…
So yesterday, I was really fastidious…and prepared a shot for today. I’ve been so short on time yesterday. But my brain leaks. And I didn’t recall I’d done that. So, in a panic this afternoon (a needing-a-fresh-bee panic), I went out a bit ago. Too windy, maybe. Not many around. Finally found one around some squills (I love those little ones) but the underneath shadows were brutal. But managed to catch it almost in focus in flight. Kinda neat…and it was the blue pollen (proving it had been in the squills) that sealed it for me. So…panic bee today. Enjoy!
Bee 008 – Honeybee on a Squill
Love this one in the Spring. Always get wistful as they fade. Look at her little claws holding her upsidedown so she can get at the pollen. Neat blue pollen, too. Note the tulip, too, in the lower left. Spring is so neat.