Recently a local television program filmed a segment on bee monitoring at the
UW-Madison Arboretum. The filming occurred during our regular Friday volunteering session, since our group of volunteers includes several trained bee monitors. The rest of us got to tag along.
I served as a spotter and a photographer, and helped search for bees of various species among the blooming plants. Tough gig, eh?
While we were waiting, I took stock of the beautiful blooming native plants.
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| Baptisia alba near the plant hut |
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| Tradescantia ohiensis |
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| Zizia aurea |
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| Aquilegia canadensis |
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| Asclepias syriaca (not blooming yet, but close and distracting with its fluffy, soft buds) |
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| Geranium maculatum |
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| Anemone canadensis |
We also checked the plants in the horticultural garden.
The Azaleas were bright and colorful.
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| Kolkwitzia amabilis |
A giant Beauty Bush was covered in a profusion of pink.
The most popular blooms for all the bees and pollinators we found were the roses--both the native Prairie Rose (
Rosa arkansana), and the cultivated varieties. Most of the roses had one, two, three, and sometimes more pollinators, insects, and spiders visiting them at the same time. It was a party among the roses!
Bee monitoring is such an important citizen science activity. To find out how to get involved in your area or online, contact
The Xerces Society or
Bumble Bee Watch.
I'll let you know when the television program airs.
What fabulous photos you have here Beth, well done! It must have been fun to be with the filming group. Is that nearly extinct bee still found in the prairie? I forget what it is called. I think about it occasionally when I am watching bumbles in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lisa. Yes, it was fun! Yes, the rusty-patched bumble bee is still in the area, but that species, I'm told, is more active later in the summer. I haven't seen any in my garden, but I've seen them at the Arb several times. :)
DeleteI'm with Lisa. Those photos are glorious. Can't wait to see the program. I'll watch for your info on time and date.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. It sure was fun to track and spot them the other day! I'm not sure what kind of segment they're planning to do, but I'll keep you posted on the time and date, and/or I'll share a link.
DeleteLooks like a great day in the garden for all involved ... plants, insects, botanists :)
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, it was! Watching bees is good therapy for anyone--including the plants and the bees, themselves! ;-)
DeleteYou got great shots of the bees, Beth! Thanks for the links. My garden is loaded with bees and, if I can get some better shots, I'll send them on the Bumble Bee Watch.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kris. I remember you posting about the bee activity in your garden, which is a very good sign. :)
DeleteOh Beth what a wonderful experience and opportunity. And I love all your bees. I need to get better at identifying my bees. I love that I have almost all those natives in my garden....I think that is one reason I have so many bees here.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was great fun, Donna. I'm terrible at identifying bees, but it's still fun to find them, track them, and watch them. I'm sure your garden is a bee haven! :)
DeleteIf I was a bee, the rose would be my choice too, imagine getting intoxicated by rose pollen! The single roses are of course best for bees and they are so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, agreed about the roses, Chloris! I could lose myself in roses for days on end. ;-) I love them all.
DeleteGreat clicks Beth . . .
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers . . .
Happy bees . . .
I have noticed more bees here this year, around our home,
I think that must be a very good thing . . .
That is a very good thing, Lynne! Thank you. The bees, the flowers, the plants, the other insects, and the people were happy. ;-)
DeleteWonderful shots, Beth! Your spring seems well on its way! How fun that you were able to participate, and yeah, tough gig!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina! Yes, we're pretty much into summer now. Not much spring this year, but everything is green and growing and full of life.
DeleteRespect for your glorious photography skills!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diana! Some of it is luck and being at the right place at the right time. I love to watch and photography pollinators. :)
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful macro photos of the pollinators!
Hope you are having a great week!
Thank you, Lea. The bees certainly were plentiful that day. :)
DeleteIts so wonderful to see all those pollinators in your garden and your captures of the bees are amazing!
ReplyDeleteActually, these pollinators were at the Arboretum, but yes, it's wonderful to see them in the home garden, too! Thank you!
DeleteThese pictures are a great advertisement for native wild roses!
ReplyDeleteI know! The bumbles (and other pollinators) love the roses!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat project. Yes, please do send the info when it airs on TV.
Great photos.
Carla
OK, I will! Thanks! It will probably be pretty easy for you to catch because it's a Wisconsin-based series. :)
DeleteSounds like fun! I was watching some bees on one of our inherited roses and it was crazy. No relaxed pollen collection here - they were in a literal frenzy on those blooms!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun! Oh, I know: Watching bees on the species roses with their flat, open blooms is such a joy. They go crazy for them!
DeleteHi Beth, It looked like a great gig! You got some good pictures of our fuzzy friends. and lots of beautiful native plants. The roses are stunning...what's not to love about a rose? Even the thorns make them special.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun, Sally! I totally agree: I'm a little crazy for roses. Always have been, and probably always will be. :)
DeleteGreat pics! Especially the bees among the roses!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Aaron! It was a fun event. :)
DeleteThanks for beeing so nice and sharing these beeutiful images with us.
ReplyDeleteHa! I like your puns, Peter. Sorry for the delay on my response--just catching up on some comments. :)
DeleteVery nice pics. I monitor them in my garden just for my own curiosity but what a great project to get involved in.
DeleteSeeing very few honeybees this year and a handful of bumblebees. :(
Strange weather year here too. Not much snow at all, coolish spring then hot summer. Kind of crazy.
Thank you too for all your lovely comments. You are the sweetest. That was interesting that the bloggers are coming to Denver next year. I am an hour north of there. I probably won't attend tho (unfortunately.) I don't really put this out there but I have a daughter with pretty severe special needs so I don't get too far from home. I hope it's a good gathering tho & I'll look forward to seeing what gardens are featured.