Friday, August 5, 2011

Bee Nursery and Danger Lurks

I have to admit right up front that I love nature and am a toucher. Yep I love to reach out and feel things. Now in some situations that could be dangerous, like with bears or sharks, but bees I can handle.
 Take these slumbering workers. They worked till they fell asleep on the last flower visited and wait for the sun to shine the next morning before starting their day. So while they slumber I can reach out and pet their little backs (I'm hoping some of their industrious nature rubs off on me)!
On this flower alone there were 7 of the little fellas hidden around the petals!
Sometimes there is just one bee, sometimes a group.

Now the danger part of this post is that this year I have discovered  a bug I did not know existed. They are called Bee Assassins! If you go Google them you will see they are quite nasty from a bee's point of view. I have been watching for them on the flowers and discovered a few and they do indeed kill bees and I can't have that!!! Bees are struggling enough in this world as it is and I have to do my small part to protect them and keep the plants pollinated.
Although the pictures on Google show them as redish or blackish, mine are green with touches of yellow. They are smaller than bees but evidently their bite is toxic and paralyzes the bee. Yuck!
Well I am off to have breakfast with a friend this morning so I will bid you ado for now. Have a great day all!
 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A Laugh a Day!

I have introduced you to this little monkey on a few occasions but to say he is one of the brightest lights in the garden is an understatement!
Bruce Wayne!
So named because his fur forms a "batman" like mask on his face and as we all know Bruce Wayne was Batman's secret identity!
Well I have a few objects lounging about the garden waiting to be painted or transformed into "new" things. This old birdcage is one of the objects in question and recently in a storm it was blown over and guess who decided it made a great playhouse? Yep Bruce Wayne. I have to admit I kind of thought it was a suitable habitation for him considering the mischief he gets up to....
                     Yep he looks perfect in there!
Do you think he thought he was fooling the birds into thinking he was one of them?

Have a great day in the garden!

Tina xo