
February 24, 2022
A lone bee was busy working these pink blooms on a recent morning.
The blossoms remind me of a roof-top satellite dish, communicating in secret to the bee.
He seemed to get the message.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
August 31, 2021
The early morning sun was glinting off this hive, which unfortunately was so high up I couldn’t get a sharper image.
I thought it was interesting with those lobes, and wondered if that was wax, or some sort of paper nest.
From the other side, if I had approached from the direction I probably wouldn’t have noticed it.
This last image is severely cropped, and not great detail, but notice how precise the cells are–an engineering marvel!
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
August 20, 2021
Even though these Red Camelia blooms did not have the obvious pollen as the White Camellia there was plenty of bee action.
And this bee was taking full advantage.
Lastly, a view of the full Camellia Tree, looking pretty snazzy.
Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
February 20, 2021
This Camellia variety has the type of blossom with a prominent center and on Sunday the blooms were well visited by bees.
The bees were making a haul of pollen.
This flower was on the outside of the plant, right at my eye level making for nice closeups.
The temperature had been below freezing a few nights last week and I was rather surprised to see this much bee activity.
Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
February 20, 2021
I was framing a single Swamp Sunflower, trying for an artsy view when a bee hovered into the shot.
He was as attracted to the blossom as I was.
He did his thing then backed away.
Here’s a broader look at the patch of these photogenic blooms.
I was admiring a patch of Purple Iris when this busy bee caught my attention.
The bee’s yellow was a nice match for the Iris’s accent color.
Hovering to assess the situation, he seemed to have rather long hind legs.
He came back to this bloom several times.
Then, on to the next flower…
April 22, 2019
Taken with Ted’s Canon 70D, while my 7D was being repaired.
In downtown Charleston, SC on the last day of November many of the gardens had blooming roses despite the recent overnight freezing temps.
One lone bee was industriously working this large blossom.
There are several more buds in waiting to occupy the bee if they and he survive this week’s chill.
Lantana bloom all summer long but are really noticeable in the fall when a lot of the annuals in flower beds have passed their prime.
In the first two images the bee’s eye has rather a weird glow, perhaps part reflection from the flowers.
The bee was fully investigating the flowers.
He was quite methodical, going back and forth, completely covering the flower head and giving me a variety of body angles.