It is the season of drowning bees, when many wasps and hornets and bees gather at the sugar water feeders. Some get greedy and force their way through the feeding port guards into the reservoir of sugar water. They can’t fly nor swim so eventually, they drown from too much of a good thing. Most people only notice the critters that sneak into their cans of sugar water through the pop tops. Those often get shaken out.
I spent some time yesterday watching several kinds of wasps or hornets or bees trying to feed at the red hummingbird feeder on a front window. Hummers, with their long bills and tongues, get some sort of nourishment. I have no idea if the buzzers could reach any of the sugar water or not. The feeding ports in the red feeder are just large enough to accommodate a hummingbird’s bill and too narrow to allow even small bees entrance. What also fascinates me is the feeders are rarely visited by insects at other times of the year. This year, in fact, the ants never discovered the feeder hanging from the deck railing.
bee on Blue Giant Hyssop
Photo by J. Harrington
|
Bees are also availing themselves of what’s left of the season’s flowers. I much prefer seeing them in a more natural setting like the one above, rather than on or at a hummingbird feeder. (The bee is about dead center in the picture.) Both honeybees and wild bee populations are declining at unacceptable rates, even in a state like Minnesota, home to more than 500 species of bees.
Last year we left many of the fallen leaves in place to provide overwintering habitat for at least some pollinators. Then came spring with “No mow May.” The yard has taken on a much more natural look. That’s been compounded by the past summer’s drought. We have our fingers crossed that some reseeding the Better Half did the other day will help create a bee friendly lawn. She had some really encouraging reports on the thyme that’s replacing “bluegrass” and rye in the yard. I think that got planted / seeded last year.
[If you haven’t by now recognized today’s title, go listen to Frank Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night.]
Bees, so many bees.
By Anna Jackson
After twenty years of marriage, we walked outof the bush and on to a rough dirt roadwe followed till we saw a pondwe might be able to get to.The ground was boggy and buzzing.The pond was thick with weedand slime. It was notthe sort of pond anyone wouldswim in, but we did — picking and slidinginto the water over the bog and bees,bees we suddenly noticed wereeverywhere, were settling on our hairas we swam, ducks turning surprised eyesour way. After twenty years of marriagewhat is surprising isn’t really so muchthe person you are with but to findyourselves so out of place in this scene, coldbut not able to get out withoutstepping over bees, so many bees.
********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
No comments:
Post a Comment