Bumblebees and Anise Hyssop

The bumblebees have started to show up regularly on the Anise hyssop. This plant will provide foraging opportunities right through to the fall.

Bumblebee on Anise hyssop

Bumblebee pets

Ollie is a cute and furry puppy. People can’t resist bending down to pet him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bumblebees are cute and furry too. Some people like to pet them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeding the Bumblebees

Fireweed is at peak bloom. Anise hyssop is just starting to blossom. Abundant clover is a constant. All of these plants work together to supply food for bumblebees and that means that many bumblebees have a chance to overwinter on our farm. This picture of fireweed and Anise hyssop together tells the story.

Anise hyssop and fireweed

Now that’s a bumblebee

The search for bumblebee pictures has taken me to the Kihei Surfside in south Kihei, Maui. (see blogroll)  Honeybees were enjoying the same flower as the bumblebee in the picture. While here we are enjoying some excellent Lehua Honey.

Lehua honey comes purely from the Lehua blossom which is the flower of the ‘Ohi’a tree, a beautiful, native hardwood found in verdant, rolling pastures 4,000 feet up the north side of Mauna Kea volcano. This creamy, spreadable honey has a unique, volcanic-mountain, floral taste. Source:http://www.volcanoislandhoney.com/honey.htm

Huge Maui bumblebee

Sumac and bumblebees

The Sumac blossoms have just started to open. This is the first year I have noticed the bumblebees showing as much interest in Sumac.

Bumblebees enjoying Sumac blossoms

A honeybee joins the feast.

Gomer Waterer – a late Rhododendron

This late rhododendron is a big hit with the Bumblebees. It’s at full blossom now, just when the bluberry pollination is over. Gomer Waterer is a very reliable plant producing a profusion of blooms year after year.

Gomer Waterer Rhododendron

Weigela – a Bumblebee favorite

Weigela, like the Rhododendron, is more favoured by bumblebees than honeybees. It’s post blueberry timing makes it a desired shrub as a foraging source for bumblebees.

Weigela blossoms

Bumblebee foraging sources

The goal is to provide ample food sources for Bumblebees throughout the season. After the blueberries are pollinated there is Black Locust and clover as forage. Later the Anise hyssop will keep them going until fall. This should ensure a good number of Bumblebees for next season.

Bumblebee on clover

Worker Bumblebees

The population of worker bumblebees seems to peak at about the time of the full bloom in the Elliott blueberry. These small bumblebees seem to rival the number of honeybees as you walk through the field. In a few days the honeybees will be distracted by the thornless blackberries so the bumblebees play an important role in pollination.

worker bumblebee

Bumblebees and Anise Hyssop

More bumblebees are finding the Anise hyssop every day. It is important to provide foraging opportunities for the bumblebees so that there will be lots of bumblebees next spring. This is the time of year when there could be a shortage of nectar sources for the bumblebees.

Bumblebees prefer the Anise hyssop and Comfrey. Both of these plants should continue right through to the fall. Meanwhile the honeybees are foraging on blackberry and fireweed. Both of these plants last for several weeks. The honeybees are also on the clover which will last to the end of the season.

Here are some pictures of bumblebees enjoying Anise hyssop. Click on pictures to enlarge.