Random and miscellaneous pollinator photos

[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.

[SpookyShoe]

I got this shot of this swallowtail on a blue plumbago at a plant nursery this morning. I was searching for salvia.

0617201118c_HDR.jpg

0617201118a_HDR.jpg

[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

[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?

smallpollinator043.JPG

smallpollinator2.JPG

[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.

swallowtail-183.JPG

swallowtail-184.JPG

swallowtail-186.JPG

[SpookyShoe]

Beautiful.

[SpookyShoe]

0704200955b.jpg

Bee on liriope. There are several of these plants in front of the house. They thrive with not much care.

[bower]

Bee stripes on liriope stars... what could be more appropriate? Happy 4th to you!

[SpookyShoe]

0708200915b.jpg

I have never seen a bee on a shrimp plant, but here one is.

0708200915a.jpg

[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

[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

[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.

honeybee-thyme605.JPG

honeybee-thyme-607.JPG

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

[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.

[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

[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.




Here is a sample of the artwork of a leaf cutter bee.


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.






Bees love alliums.


Elephant garlic


Everyone comes for a drink at the fountain.

[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.

[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.

[MissS]

A few butterflies.

20200729_135343.jpg

20200729_140953.jpg

20200731_140117.jpg

[MissS]

Here is a rare sight for this neck of the woods. A Giant Swallowtail.

20200723_100742.jpg

[MissS]

A Bumblebee Moth also known as the Snowberry Clearwing. I love these little guys.

20200725_175505.jpg