Typically by this time the bugs are non existent. No flying pests bothering you when you eat or pollinating the flowers. Yet I saw the honey bees still carrying out their duties, quite faithfully as well. Visiting every flower, transferring pollen and keeping the lavender alive. Also a bug on my sunflowers. A green stink bug according to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. He was plotting murder. My bright yellow flowers were being murdered.
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| The little green leaf look-a-like in the center |
According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (or OMAFRA), the bug bites into the water lines and slurps the juice out of the plant. A silent killer, he doesn't leave a trace. I must have caught him in the act of his vampiric feed. The flowers are strong, though. I'm sure one little bug won't hinder their progress. As it stands now, they've survived harsh conditions, and it's only getting worse. I wish the best for my yellow troopers.
On a brighter note, the bees are active and can regularly be found in the bed of fake rocks and lavender. they hop from flower to flower, frantically, a neverending loop. It seems like these bees go nonstop. Do they ever get rest? Actually they do. According to a
study by Barrett A. Klein, Kathryn M. Olzsowy, Arno Klein, Katharine M. Saunders and Thomas D. Seeley bees sleep in short naps. Getting more or less sleep based on their position in the hive. I've never seen this, though, and I will believe that bees are busy all the time. I caught one in photo, buzzing around the flowers.
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| Seen on the flower in the middle is the bee, close to the top of the flower |
It was a quick photo. It turned out beautifully, with the wide aperture. At any given time in that bed I can find 5-10 different honey bees all buzzing about and gathering pollen. I actually hate bees. But these bees I have an affinity for. Their hard work and how they don't just attack me for no reason is a big part of that affinity. I wish I could work as hard as them and actually be at the place where I want to be. But such is life. It goes on.
Amazing. I'm so happy for your sunflowers surviving, just like I'm happy to see the close-ups on those flowers. I also enjoyed how you compared the stink bug to a vampire; that was both clever and hilarious, I love it. And I think you do work hard like the bees, just look at the post you did. I think it's better than the last post I made. I can't wait to see what else you have in store.
ReplyDeleteI find it funny that you are growing to like the bees that you once hated. they're fascinating aren't they? I found the same sort of relationship with the spiders in my back yard. I used to be the biggest arachnophobe you could meet, but as I started to watch them I became more interested than disgusted until I started to find them beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I'd still kill one if I found it in my house, but they aren't the villains I once thought them. I think it's harder to hate something once you understand it better.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog. I love how you described the bees as being "faithful." I found it interesting that bees don't really sleep. How do they function without food!? Do you have a flower garden? The pictures are beauriful. Nice blog!
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you said that your yellow flowers were being murdered by the bug. But I'm sorry your pretty flowers are being eaten. Lets pray together that they will survive.
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