This worker yellow bumblebee was intent on getting nectar from every flower petal/trumpet of the first Knautia macedonica flower. I was surprised to learn we had at least five different species of Bumblebees in our yard.
I love to watch bees in the garden. They let me know which flowers are nectar rich so that I can grow more of them.
The native foxgloves, blueberries, raspberries, rhododendrons and columbines are our earlier blooming bee attractions. I was worried about the wild bumblebees since we had hobby beekeepers for a few years and saw very few bumblebees and a lot of unhealthy honeybees. Fortunately the beekeepers have moved on and we have a rich variety of native bees once again. The bumblebees will even start early in spring on the heather flowers and work often on our low light and misty rainy days unlike honeybees. I’ve always had a preference for the wild bees.
