Yesterday was the perfect June day…..sunshine from the word go, and not too hot. In the minimeadow there were plenty of bees out making the most of the weather and the flowers.
Here’s the red-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lapidarius, on knapweed. It’s my favourite bee and this is my favourite bee/flower combo.
This is Bombus terrestris.
Now this was a totally new species for me: there were at least 3 individuals of this bee around. It’s Bombus vestalis. This is a cuckoo bee, taking over the nests of Bombus terrestris, killing the resident queen. You could almost tell they were cuckoo bees by the leisurely way they were feeding at the flowers; as if they had all day. Other bees always look too busy to stop.
Also present, and really busy (hardly stopping) was this little solitary bee.
There are several new flowers out in the minimeadow:
Field scabious is a great favourite with bees and butterflies and flowers all summer long. It’s really good value.
I have a soft spot for bladder campion; really delicate. Popular with bees too.
You need a special taste to see the beauty in common sorrel. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
Vipers Bugloss is the plant the bees seem to love more than any other. However, it’s not universally loved. My other half calls it “the viscious one”.
Cocksfoot grass: can you see why it got its name?
It wasn’t just a day for flowers and insects. This female backbird was really chilling out in the sun (if that’s not a contradiction), looking practically horizontal. It really was a lazy summer afternoon!
