Not A Monarch, Not Milkweed

I’m not totally obsessed with bees. I’m looking for butterflies, too. Just the other day, I saw a bright yellow fluttering go by, but it wasn’t a monarch. I don’t think I’ve seen this kind before. My first guess is a Pink-edged Sulphur. He really didn’t want to sit still, and I think he looks […]

More bugs and weeds

No matter how you plead.

Losing the war on weeds

First the good news: the lilies are flowering. It really is summer. And the other way you know it’s summer is that’s when you start to lose the war on weeds.

Sunflowers are sprouting (I think)

Remember the potato in the worm bin? Today, I uncovered the latest batch of compost only to find these huge seedlings cheerily hoping for a bit of sun. They’re so big, they’ve got to be sunflowers. At least I hope so.

Betty the Bee and Veronica

Finally, a plant that I actually put there on purpose is attracting bees. This bumblebee likes it so much, she’s going after the fallen bits.

Buzzapaloosa

I finally found the bees! In fact, it’s been Buzzapaloosa around here. The honeybees have been hiding in the bladder campion. Nice to see I was remembering correctly that it’s a popular flower with them. The bumblebees are a lot easier to spot, naturally.

Tricky Bugs

I was so sure this was a syrphid fly, but bugGuide has set me straight: it’s a Narcissus Bulb Fly Merodon equestris. At least it’s in the syrphid family. And I do have actual syrphid flies, but they’re much smaller than Mr. Bumblebee Fakeout Merodon.

The Hunt For Little Bees

I’ve always been endlessly fascinated by all the little bugs in my yard, flitting about on their mysterious bug business. Now that I can get close-up pictures of them I feel like a new window has opened upon their world. That’s how I discovered how wrong I was about which weed they would like. What […]

The Great Bee Hunt

Here are some of the first pictures I took with that camera I was so excited about Friday. I was almost as excited to see my peonies weather a few days of rain without all the petals falling off. Too bad there’s no room for bees to get into them. That’s okay. I’ve got other […]

Sweetness in the air

These pinks are intensely spicy sweet, like cloves. There’s waves of sweetness coming off this lump of lilac. And the first peony blossom is just opening. (It doesn’t smell like anything.) In the category of weeds I shouldn’t be tolerating…