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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2020 10:34 am
by karstopography
[mention]SpookyShoe[/mention], likely a Black Carpenter Bee, if it is big like a bumble bee. Native Texas bee, the Black Carpenter Bee. We have them here 45 -50 miles from you. Here, they drill their holes in bamboo, sometimes in my tomato stakes. They will also drill holes in cedar fences and other wood building products.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:26 pm
by SpookyShoe
I got this shot of this swallowtail on a blue plumbago at a plant nursery this morning. I was searching for salvia.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:02 pm
by friedgreen51
Walked by our Mountain Mint today and made a few pictures. At least 4 different pollinators all working at the same time and happy to share the Mountain Mint.
Bumblebee Pollinator.jpg
Honey Bee on Mountain Mint.jpg
Unknown Pollinator.jpg
Wasp Pollinator.jpg

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:23 am
by bower
I believe I mistook in the earlier pic, a long legged fly for a bee... Saw it in SQWIB's Friend or Foe page. the short antennae is a giveaway, also the longer legs. Sweat bees are as small as that and some are metallic colors like that too. Always something to learn in the garden, I seriously don't know even 1/10th of the insects scooting around.
Here is another small pollinator that's dressed up like a bee but I believe it is a fly.... maybe a robber fly, like the one Karstopography posted?
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smallpollinator2.JPG

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2020 11:15 am
by bower
Well finally! A butterfly. :)
The shallots are the major thing flowering in the herb garden at the moment, and i'm really glad to keep them as a perennial flower for the bees... and other guests.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2020 2:54 pm
by SpookyShoe
Beautiful.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 10:33 am
by SpookyShoe
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Bee on liriope. There are several of these plants in front of the house. They thrive with not much care.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 10:52 am
by bower
Bee stripes on liriope stars... what could be more appropriate? :) Happy 4th to you!

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:38 am
by SpookyShoe
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I have never seen a bee on a shrimp plant, but here one is.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:58 pm
by friedgreen51
Made a few pictures yesterday.

Our honeybees have really discovered the Mountain Mint. It is in full bloom now and often has a least 100 honeybees on our little patch.
Mountain Mint and Honeybees.jpg
This Anise Hyssop is a great attraction to pollinators, especially bumblebees.
Bumblebee on Anise Hyssop.jpg
Saw this little guy too! Not a pollinator, but a great spider eater.
Green Anole.jpg

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:49 pm
by friedgreen51
Went out to the backyard garden to look at my Lime Light Hydrangea. I saw a couple of honeybees on the bloom. Snapped a couple of pictures. One picture just as a bee was leaving. I have read that bees and other pollinators don't like this hydrangea (Hydrangea Paniculata). Guess they were checking it out.
Honeybee on a Lime Light Hydrangea.jpg
Honeybee Leaving a Lime Light Hydrandea Bloom.jpg
Also checked out my Black and Blue Salvia and saw quite a few bumblebees.
Bumblebees on Black and Blue Salvia.jpg

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:19 pm
by bower
I don't know who owns the honeybees here, but they are in my garden for several years now. Here they are on thyme.
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Also caught this small dragonfly taking a break on the lady's mantle. Not a pollinator, but so welcome in the garden. I had a big blue the other evening just picking the blackflies off me.. they are the size of a bird and make such a wierd sound as the thrum around your ears nabbing all the bugs. ;)
ladysmantle-dragonfly-583.JPG

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:19 pm
by Growing Coastal
Black flies. Ugh.
I remember watching a big blue helicopter around a small drive area picking off tiny flies. They're good at it! Nice to have such a useful helper.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:14 pm
by friedgreen51
We have been having lots of hot weather, but plenty of rain. The flowers look good and the pollinators are active.
Made today out in the gardens.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly:
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail 1.jpg
Easter Tiger Swallowtail 2.jpg
Bumblebees were abundant today:
Bumblebee on Sunflower 1.jpg
Bumblebee on Wave Petunia.jpg
Bumblee on Mexican Sunflower.jpg

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:11 pm
by Growing Coastal
I have seen very few butterflies here this year. We had prolonged cool spring weather this year. I have Tithonia growing this year and have yet to see a butterfly or hummingbird on it.

I noticed this little bee on a leaf cleaning itself.
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Here is a sample of the artwork of a leaf cutter bee.
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As far as I can tell this is the leaf cutter bee. They loved the Lamb's Ear flowers and sometimes the fuzz of the leaves.
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Bees love alliums.
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Elephant garlic
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Everyone comes for a drink at the fountain.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:17 pm
by MissS
[mention]Growing Coastal[/mention] That's so sad about your butterflies. We had a cold spring as well and I have more butterflies than I have seen in years.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:55 pm
by Growing Coastal
My apple tree has only about a dozen fruit this year due to weather, with blooms out when it was too cold for the bees. In past years I have gone around with a brush from flower to flower but not this year.
The first tomatoes are mostly all small. Even the 1st truss of an Esterina had miniature fruit though the following ones are normal size. A friend who lives at a slightly higher elevation also has small 1st tomatoes this year.

I'm sure the butterflies will return. All goes in cycles. One year all my mud wasps were wiped out during the winter but they are back aplenty this year.

Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:37 pm
by MissS
A few butterflies.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:40 pm
by MissS
Here is a rare sight for this neck of the woods. A Giant Swallowtail.
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Re: Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:50 pm
by MissS
A Bumblebee Moth also known as the Snowberry Clearwing. I love these little guys.
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