Now I have started to watch them carefully, I can see they don't enter the flower at all. They drill holes in the back and get the nectar that way. Clever things!
If you click, you can see all the tiny holes in this shot. It seems it's worth it to drill two; one each side.
If you click, you can see all the tiny holes in this shot. It seems it's worth it to drill two; one each side. This pot of honey makes a beautiful colour contrast with the wisteria flowers.
I didn't want to provoke them into bitterness at where all their hard work goes, so I didn't leave it out there long.
Did you know that a bee can only collect the equivalent of about two teaspoons of honey a day? And that's on a good day. And requires visiting about 1000 flowers...
I love bees too. In fact I was in the bee-keeping society at school. I can watch them for ages. The fact that their wings gyrate in such a way as to keep the unflyable flying is one of the most amazing things I've come across in the insect world.
ReplyDeletea beautiful tribute to the hard working bees - thank you. I am a big fan of bees and all they do to make our world so amazing.
ReplyDeletePlease bee very careful out there amongst the flora and the fauna. Unless you are beeing very careful you could bee stung and then where would your wisteria bee?
ReplyDeleteGeeb, they do seem to have small wings, don't they? If we had had a bee-keeping society at our school, I would have joined!
ReplyDeleteVal - how nice to see you here at TLVD again. I have been doing my PG Dip (art and design) this year, but soon I will be out and about visiting again blogs!
Robert - thank you for your sage advice. Although it was more lyrical than cautionary, I suspect. I can't remember the last time I was stung. Years ago when I was still going barefoot in the garden, I think. Before I got old and sensible.