Flowers and Bees

[Anne]

Okay, I am kind of practicing how to post pictures, so I apologize in advance if they are too large, small, etc.!

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[Lady Onogaro]

So pretty! And I am glad to see that Monsanto has not succeeded in killing off every bee.

[Anne]

So pretty! And I am glad to see that Monsanto has not succeeded in killing off every bee.

Really! I thought I was the only one who cared :D
I have used Monsanto's increasingly more powerful poison ( which only creates Super Weeds anyway ) in the past and for the last couple of years I pull them by hand.
I was sick to my stomach of seeing dead bees and confused ones bumping their heads into things and crawling in circles.
I know there are other causes, but I can't believe a company that did enough damage to humans and lied about it is still around and raking in the cash.

[Crazyorange]

Beautiful pictures, especially the ones with the bees flying. Yeah, Monsanto are a-holes. One day we'll regret what they have done.

[distracted_mom]

OHMYGOSH the ones of the bees flying! Those just make me happy!

[Anne]

Beautiful pictures, especially the ones with the bees flying. Yeah, Monsanto are a-holes. One day we'll regret what they have done.

Thank You :)
Yeah, their "work" is a true shame. I won't buy Roundup anymore.

[Anne]

OHMYGOSH the ones of the bees flying! Those just make me happy!

Thank You :) Me too!
I think they got tired of me following them with my camera though. I had to leave them to their work after a while :D

[Pira]

Ahhh it always makes me happy to see bees. :)

Nice pictures....not easy to grab pictures of those busy little guys. The don't sit still!

[Deb]

Super pictures!

[Lady Onogaro]

I've stopped using Roundup, too. I understand from something I read recently that the bees have declined so much in Colorado that they won't be able to manufacture honey there in three years. I'm really concerned about the decline of pollinators.

[Anne]

Ahhh it always makes me happy to see bees. :)

Nice pictures....not easy to grab pictures of those busy little guys. The don't sit still!

Thanks. No, they don't sit still LOL! They make me feel like a slouch:p
These were taken in my Moms yard, but unless I am planting something ( after I have found room in mine! ) the yard is my time to sit back and enjoy the new growth
of everything around me. As overgrown as my yard has gotten, it is my piece of Heaven on earth. Plus, after the bees work, I can wait to see how much of a harvest I can enjoy too.
It's a fun cycle!

[Anne]

I've stopped using Roundup, too. I understand from something I read recently that the bees have declined so much in Colorado that they won't be able to manufacture honey there in three years. I'm really concerned about the decline of pollinators.

Wow, it concerns me too. Even globally, it affects us all.
I have been getting my honey from a local beekeeper after reading an article that claims that most of the honey you get from the store has No pollen in it. Pollen is supposed to naturally be
in honey and is the number one identifier of Where the honey is from. When it is nonexistent in samples of honey, it usually means it is from China.
I don't understand how it could be though, because a lot of places there have such a problem with the lack of bees, that they have to pay People to pollinate stuff. I don't care how many paintbrushes they use, People can't make honey ... only Living and Healthy Bees can.
The article said that some of what we see in the store truly might not even be honey at all.

[Neo]

Good move by Ortho...

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/04/12/473953151/home-and-garden-giant-ditches-class-of-pesticides-that-may-harm-bees

[Anne]

Good move by Ortho...

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/04/12/473953151/home-and-garden-giant-ditches-class-of-pesticides-that-may-harm-bees

Awesome! Thank You so much for posting that! You made my day:D

[fountainpagan]

Beautiful pictures.

Thank you.

[NancyR]

OHMYGOSH the ones of the bees flying! Those just make me happy!

Thank You :) Me too!
I think they got tired of me following them with my camera though. I had to leave them to their work after a while :D

Really beautiful nature photos! I love your bokeh photo (http://www.watermark-software.com/bokeh-tutorial.html) shooting, it's just that perfect. :)

Besides, man, I think the attach photos can be better shared if you used free image hosting platforms (http://www.watermark-software.com/photo-share-site.html), for they are easier to share directly and share here.

[Anne]

Thank You - I am in no way a professional photographer, just an interest for me. So, I had to google "bokeh":) It's very interesting and I Thank You for bringing it to my attention!

[Anne]

Just when are we humans going to learn?
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/02/health/zika-bee-spraying-lessons/index.html

[Anne]

I often pore over articles on news sites that are kind of buried, all the way at the bottom of the page.
This was one of them. I hope it is not a trend here in the U.S., too many other places in the world are experiencing this and I hope it can be reversed.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/01/us/hawaii-bee-species-endangered/index.html

[FredRydr]

Taken at Lerew Topiary Gardens in Maryland, USA.

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Fred

[Anne]

Wow - Awesome picture Fred! She's beautiful:) And look at those pollen pockets on her legs, she has been busy for sure.

[Monkey]

I love the big fuzzy bumbles, I could watch them for ages. :)

[distracted_mom]

Here's a shot I took in September. I planted the milkweed after watching a documentary about Monarchs. I was happy to feed bees too. I LOVE the dangly legs.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Florals-and-Plant-Life/i-HD2RMJr/0/M/DSC_5813-M.jpg (https://thestuffoflife.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Florals-and-Plant-Life/i-HD2RMJr/A)

[Monkey]

Eek I didn't realize there were any bees with bodies/legs like that, I thought only wasps. I'll just steer clear and stick to my fuzzy bumble gazing. xD

[Anne]

Beautiful Clear picture! Those particular guys do look like the paper wasps that I have in my yard too. They are beneficial insects too and are pretty mild tempered - I have found. One time, I had bumped my shoulder into one a nest I had no idea was there, and got a sting I deserved. They didn't chase me or overwhelm me like an Africanized bee would. They just don't behave that way apparently.
I think they have a nice pattern too. I have also seen black ones with a beautiful green and purple sheen.

[Anne]

I love the big fuzzy bumbles, I could watch them for ages. :)

Me too but I have yet to see any where I live in Arizona. I remember them growing up:)

[Anne]

Check out this guy!
This is the closest that I have come to find a big "bee" here. He or she ( not sure how it works in the fly world - more research needed there ) is a Common Drone Fly.
They even mimic hovering like a bee would. They also have a buzz sound too.
Pretty cool things you find in nature when you take the time to look. Or, when you see something that freaks you out and you just Have to google it to find out what it is :)
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[Monkey]

I like the ones we see often around here, with their white butts. XD
https://photos.smugmug.com/Nature/BeesNFlowersAug2013/n-2tWTN/i-MzPjx2K/1/X3/i-MzPjx2K-X3.jpg

[Anne]

I like the ones we see often around here, with their white butts. XD

They are cute and pretty!

[josephsantos]

wow..nice picture..when I was looking at it I think of how amazing our God is. :):):)