At the moment the nepeta and red hot pokers are swarming with bees foraging. What tickles me most though is bees going to sleep in the single dahlia flowers. From time to time i catch them snoozing in the fancier dahlias but the singles are like a bee dormitory. I first noticed this last year so have put a lot more in this year. I like that they are the one creature who seems to stay in bed longer than i do.
Speaking about cotoneasters, I noticed numerous large bumblebees hurriedly visiting the flowers of a weeping cotoneaster tree. Botanical name Cotoneaster ‘Hybridus Pendulus’. But I would assume they find the flowers of pretty much all cotoneaster species appealing.
Noticed lots of honeybees visiting the creamy-white blossoms on a Pyracantha shrub too, ‘Mohave’ a red berried cultivar if memory serves.
From my own observations towards the latter half of summer 2018 both the drifts of Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Blue Spire’ and a bed of Echinops ritro were extremely attractive to bees, in particular honeybees for the former and bumbles for the latter.
My borage season is in full blow. Valerian off. is going over but still buzzing. Ramblers, salvias, wall flowers, linaria and dahlias will pop next week. Can't wait.
My borage season is in full blow. Valerian off. is going over but still buzzing. Ramblers, salvias, wall flowers, linaria and dahlias will pop next week. Can't wait.
Our borage seems to be the biggest hit too. It is our first year growing it. I can see why they like it so much-it is delicious! Mostly bumblebee activity right now though. Normally it is the speedwell that is most popular, but I haven't seen any activity on them yet.
Come to think of it, I haven't noticed the honeybees since early spring when the hyacinth was in bloom.
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Noticed lots of honeybees visiting the creamy-white blossoms on a Pyracantha shrub too, ‘Mohave’ a red berried cultivar if memory serves.
From my own observations towards the latter half of summer 2018 both the drifts of Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Blue Spire’ and a bed of Echinops ritro were extremely attractive to bees, in particular honeybees for the former and bumbles for the latter.