Bees and Butterflies

With the cool and moist weather we've been having lately, the bees and butterflies have been moving sluggishly and therefore easy to photograph.
I haven't seen any honey bees in a few days, but the bumblers were out.
Here is a "fly-by"

And then one that stopped for a drink and a bite to eat.

This butterfly was as busy as a bee slurping up nectar from deep in the Buddlejas.

This guy took refuge from the hard rain and relative cool in this hollyhock.

Another shelterer, up high in the hollyhock.

This isn't really a bee, it's a hoverfly, but nonetheless he has found a lovely flower to rest upon.

Here's another on the Alaskan Daisys.

Finally a couple of bumble bees on Oregano. This acrobat collects nectar from any angle.

...and this guy clambers over the top taking the flowers one -by-one...

 

Wonderful pictures Sjoerd, you are a true artist with the camera.

 

The butterfly looks like the Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui. Neat shots.

 

Delightful photos, Sjoerd. I can hear those bees buzzing about. Our bees are slow too now.

 

I think you forgot to post that big, red bumble bee that fell asleep underneath your Hydrangea, though.

 

Wonderful, wonderful! I am ga-ga over the shots of the pollen covered bee inside the hollyhock. It is just plain excitement to see what is going on in Bee-World. Your technical expertise with the camera is not unnoticed either, btw, Sjoerd.

 

Thanks Eileen. I sure hope that your weather improves and the bees can get on with things. I have a white Buddleja too and it has just started blooming. The bloom 'cones' are always so fat and thickly packed with little blooms. I planted it over by the 'Black knight' so that one would make the otheer show up well...but alas, it just doesn't look as well as I had hoped. Pity.

Bless your heart, CajunBelle. What a kind thing to say.

Thank you kildale. I believe that you are correct about the butterfly being the Vanessa cardui. There are very many in the garden this year--I'd say almosy three times as many as usual. I counted nine the other day.

Thanks Frank. I had a great deal of luck taking those. The wind was very still and, as I said--they were sluggish. I must get a good statief someday.

Ah yes Droopy, you mean that Bombus norskii henrivendecus, right? That particular species is seldom seen here. What a stroke of luck to be able to photograph it. I suppose that it migrated to Holland what with the global warming and all.
I believe that you have the fotos of that specimen, if I am not mistaken.

Wow Daisy--what nice comments you had to say! I have to admit that I find it interesting to observe insects; and flowers for that matter, on a macro level. One can learn alot.

 

I loved all of the pictures but the two of the bee on the oregeno were definitely my favorites. What fantastic photography! :-D

 

I could almost reach in and stroke those bumbly bees in the last 2 pics Sjoerd. Lovely shots, and lovely to see the flutterbye also. It has been so darn cold and miserable here of late, I really haven't seen many at all so yours was a welcome sight.

 

Thanks EJ. I really like seeing them too. I guess that our weather has been a little better than yours (but not by much). I'm a bit concerned that I haven't seen more honey bees though.

 

Loved looking at all your busy bees Sjoerd. The weather here has been abominable recently so haven't seen many and have only seen one honey bee all summer, so sad that they are in decline. Beautiful photo of the painted lady.

 

I know what you mean about the honey bee decline. I am planting extra plants for them and actually considering learning to keep bees.
Our weather here has also been quite bad off and on.