Training for the Olympics?

Jun 28, 2012

Training for the Olympics?

Jun 28, 2012

Training for the Olympics?

If you step into your garden in the early morning, you might see a male bumble bee sleeping on one of your plants. The females return to their nests at night,  but the males don't. They stage slumber parties, aka sleepovers, on your plants.

If they look bedraggled, that's because they are. It's the beginning of a bad hair day. 

Such was the case when we encountered this male yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) on the lavender. 

As the sun began rising, Mr. Bombus vosnesenskii, too, struggled to rise. Had he been partying all night? Sipping too much nectar, perhaps? Rolling in the pollen?

He crawled along the lavender plants , backtracked, and then appeared to be using a stem as a chin-up bar.

Nothing like a little morning exercise...