Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Bumble Bees Waking Up in the Garden
Even though spring is officially here in the Pacific Northwest, the temperatures have remained icy cold, with bouts of wind, rain and hail. Perhaps that explains why I’ve done so little in the garden. Fortunately, the azalea is in full bloom with no help from me, and that has awakened the bumblebees.
I love watching them buzz from flower to flower, their chunky bodies supported by gossamer wings, their tiny feet dangling beneath them.
Larger and furrier than honeybees, bumblebees are important pollinators, the first to arrive in the spring and the last to leave before winter. Their two sets of wings beat back and forth more than 130 times per second, and according to the National Wildlife Federation ”the beating combined with their large bodies vibrates flowers until they release pollen, which is called buzz pollination. Buzz pollination helps plants produce more fruit.”
I’m hoping for sunnier days soon, to make their work in the garden – and mine – more agreeable.
Inspired by: Sunday Stills, Awakened.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Great photos!!
Thank you so much!
So beautiful! I like your water catchment system. ❤️
Ah, you mean the rain barrels! Thank you! 🙂
Yes. Have a great new week, guys. 👍🏻
Such gorgeous pics of the busy bees pollinating your beautiful flowers, Susanne! And, yay, you’re early! The info you shared about the bees is fascinating. Take good care of them!
Thanks, Terri! I wondered why they were the first I’d seen and decided to find out more about them!
We’re still getting snow here! Enjoy the rain and what sunny days you can find.
I was surprised it got so cold here the last few days, we even had hail this afternoon! But it was just a passing thing, fortunately. 🙂
I love the bumble bees in my garden. They almost appear friendly…either that or clumsy as they bumble from blossom to blossom.
I think their ‘bumbliness’ is so charming! 😉 🙂
You can’t go wrong with bees and azaleas! Lovely photos Susanne.
Thanks, Graham. 😊 I was impressed to see the bumblebees out so early when it’s been so cold!
I love to see the bumblebees at work. When I am out with Ollie, I often see them on the ground, warming up in rays of sunshine until they are ready to get busy.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. I love to see them too, and was surprised to see them out in the cold weather, already at work.
just saw my first bumblebee too. they’re the reason I put up with the bugleweed in my garden.
We definitely need to keep them fed and happy. 😊
That’s a beautiful azalea, and how wonderful to see the bumblebees back and working so hard there!
Thank you. That azalea is so faithful to bloom every year and the bees love it! 😊