Baden-Baden is a beauty

Not all the blossoms are open but at this stage this eye catching rhododendron is outstanding! Elliot blueberries in the background.

Baden-Baden

Early rhododendrons

Rhododendrons Christmas Cheer (right) and Ramapo keep the Bumblebees and Mason bees busy while we await more blueberry blossoms.

Early Rhododendrons

Male Mason bee – June blueberry blossom

If the Male Mason bee isn’t gathering pollen does he do much in the way of pollination?

Male Mason bee

Mason bee in a maple blossom

This is a first! A Mason bee in a maple blossom. The maples are in full blossom and the first blossoms have opened in the Duke blueberries – a perfect sequence of events.

Mason bee - Maple blossom

Mason bees – mating and mites

My youngest son asked me why I had numerous pictures of Mason bees mating. Mason bees are shy and usually move away when you approach a flower where they are foraging. However, while mating they are doing the same thing for enough time to set up the camera for a shot. I like to have the sun glinting off their beautiful colours. You can see a few pollen mites on both the male and female. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

Mason bees mating

Mason bees become active

The first Mason bees have started  foraging. The blueberry blossoms will be available soon.Rhododendron blossoms and dandelions will do in the meantime.

A perfect match

June blueberries start to blossom just when the queen bumblebees become active after winter hibernation. It’s rare for a bumblebee to pose for picture. The queens usually want to buzz around you in large circles.

June blueberry blossoms

June blueberries and honeybees

This is first day for the honeybees to start working in the June blueberry blossoms. The bumblebees have been active in the Junes for about a week when the very first blossoms opened.

Maple tree blossoms

The maple tree blossoms just before the blueberry blossoms open. This is a perfect addition to the border of a blueberry farm.

Maple blossoms

A treasure trove of pollen

This willow has many more flowers than a pussywillow. The amount of pollen from this one source has kept the bees very busy!

willow pollen