I couldn’t resist sharing and re-sharing some bumblebee photos for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge from Tina on the theme “soft “. Bees have had a pretty tough year – the late, cold spring certainly did not help. But I do love watching them. Providing food for bees from March right through till the first frosts in October is a great way to ensure you enjoy bees in your garden.
bumblebee
The current hits in my garden are oregano, comfrey, borage, poppies and runner beans. Lupins are popular earlier in the summer, as can be seen below. Even now the last remaining lupin flowers are being visited by carder bees.
bumblebee
Buff tailed
Carder bumblebee
Buff tailed
Wildflowers, fruit trees and herbs are also vitally important food sources.
Red tailed bumblebee
REd tailed bumblebee
Cuckoo bumblebee
Carder bumble
Murtagh's Meadow 
You definitely made the most of these soft little critters! Hope you didn’t get too close tho!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually bumbles rarely sting – you have to really upset them – they are usually too busy trying to find food:)
LikeLike
Fabulous closeups of the bees. We don’t get bumblebees in mainland Australia, so it’s always a delight to see pictures of them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you like them:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love seeing all your different bees. Tonight I was noticing how our globe thistle was being mobbed by the small bumblebees, while the bee balm was being tackled by the larger ones. Glad to provide food for them while I enjoy the beauty. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d imagine your beauty garden is buzzing Eliza. Another reason for me to grow Globe thistle!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Like seeing the bees.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hope to share some more bee photos before the end of the summer:)
LikeLike
Will look for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely softies – some of my favorites too! The carder bumble in the apple tree (?) is a real beauty. I remember as a child watching Ferdinand (the bull, Christmas Disney) being stung by a bumble bee, and I thought they must have got it wrong…I had never heard of them stinging. As a grown-up now I know they can, but they very seldom do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes the carder is on apple blossom. The apple blossoms were later this year because of our cold spring so the bees seemed to be able to make more use of them.
LikeLike
A heart of gold or is that a home filled with golden honey, a fuzzy appearance and a sting to remind you that it is the king of the golden honey bling
LikeLiked by 1 person
…..or Queen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I realized that the moment i pressed send. Queen it will BEE
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love watching them… especially when bees and butterflies squabble about the same flower head! I captured a moment like that a few week’s ago… here’t the bee approaching…
and the butterfly departing…
😉
LikeLike
As ever, you’ve captured the magnificence of these creatures. I especially like your red-tailed bumblebee.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Red tailed bumbles are particularly handsome bees
LikeLike