Monday, June 27, 2011

Bees, pollen and flowers

The bees have been very happy since we inspected the hive last week! Hoping to install another brood box this week. Here I was filming and the bees are bringing in pollen three at a time. The first week I had the hive it took 5 mintues to see three bees with pollen.
 This hollyhock we planted last year, it did poorly, this year it is blooming. I would love to trade for some assorted hollyhock seeds? These old fashioned gardens full of hollyhocks really delight me.
 A day lily I have had for many years. I saw a honey bee hanging to the tips of the flower petals, no noticeable pollen on them.
 Yummy blackberries planted by the birds and pollinated by our bees. Not enough for cobbler yet.
 Pipevine Swallowtail on our summer phlox.
 One of my girls hard at work. They just started visiting the mountain mint on Wednesday.
  Honey bee on mountain mint with another honey bee on her way in.
 Honey bee on mountain mint.
 Pearl Crescent on the mountain mint.
This is our Mountain Mint patch, it is about 4 ft wide by 7 ft long. These plants were given to me by a friend who lives in the NC mountains from her garden. It will be full of bee, butterflies and wasps for the next three months!

13 comments:

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I think it is wonderful that you are seeing more activity with your bee box. Great photos. Your mountain mint is a magnet to flying critters.

Happy Gardening and Living,

FlowerLady

Appalachian Lady said...

Great shots of the honey bees. That mountain mint looks great. My bees are on my butterfly plant and oregano but otherwise foraging far and wide.

Karen said...

I'm so glad your colony is doing well. They sure look happy in your flowered paradise there. The mint is a real magnet for them. The Pearl Crescent butterfly is gorgeous, too.

ann said...

There is a lot of hard work going on in your garden. I will be quite happy to send you holly hock seeds. They are so prolific here that we dig them out. They are a beautiful soft pink. They have not yet bloomed, but I will send you a handful, for we have plenty to spare. Love the insect photos.

Bonnie K said...

Great post! I love the mountain mint and your bees look great! Always a learning experience. Thanks for sharing.

Phillip Oliver said...

That daylily is a stunner. Mountain Mint is something I just came across last year when I saw it being sold at a local plant sale.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Love that Hollyhock! What a great Buttercream color.
Your bees are really doing well, how wonderful.

sweetbay said...

That's a lovely patch of mountain mint. Pollinators are really drawn to it. Love the hollyhock and daylily.

Victoria Williams said...

That's a lovely hollyhock. I'll check on my seed supply......

Meredith said...

Can I just say that I am seriously loving all your bee pictures? I'm learning so much, and what fantastic photo captures, especially the ones of the hive action.

backyard designer said...

There is a lot of hard work going on in your garden. I will be quite happy to send you holly hock seeds. They are so prolific here that we dig them out. They are a beautiful soft pink. They have not yet bloomed, but I will send you a handful, for we have plenty to spare. Love the insect photos.
backyard design

Lola said...

You have a lovely garden. Those bees should help a lot.
You've done a lot of hard work with your rain tote. Love the way you fixed it.
Hollyhocks, what can I say. Love them, would like them in my garden. Will have to see if they can take the heat/humidity here.

TexWisGirl said...

everything looks so lush there. nice to see from our very dry summer view here!