Sunday, July 28, 2013

TODAY I GOT MY BEE WET!

Humble Bumblebee on a Good Day
Today I got my bee wet.  He/she is one of the bumblebees that like the nectar from my Calibrachoa plant, which I always think of as my Chupacabra plant, because I can never remember Calibrachoa. 

Double Petal Calibrachoa Flowers
I believe that this is the same bumblebee that is out there every day when I go out to water.  Maybe we are on the same gardening schedule.  This bee is not as big as the other bumble's, and has a dot on the back of his black fuzzy vest.  He/she is so cute, never threatening, and I had always been careful not to hose him down as he goes about his work. Did you know in the 1800's bumblebees were called humblebees?   

Today, I didn't see him as I watered, and he crawled out from under one of the flower clusters soaking wet.   He flitted his wings and nothing happened.  No lift off.  Then he climbed to a blossom at the highest part of the plant and turned his body so the sun would shine on his back and wings and sat very still. He tilted his head downward, like he was praying. I felt so bad for getting him wet. I think of him as a gardening friend.  He was helpless as he sat there in the sun until his wings and fuzzy little black and yellow vest dried. 

I sat down on the porch step nearby and watched over him until he dried and finally buzzed off.  I get rather attached to my garden buddies. 

8 comments:

  1. Susie, I love the story of you and your bumblebee friend. Glad you see the point of taking it easy and taking it all in, the things we experience when we do!

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  2. Very cute story...I have a story too of bumble bees,but not so cute....I shall keep it to myself :) Very pretty plant...I can see why he/she likes it.....blessings

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  3. He is a very precious gardening buddy ;o) I love my bumblebees ;o) I never heard about humblebees? Very interesting! Take Care ;o)

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  4. Thanks for your visit to my blog and for following! I always welcome new friends and especially those from my state of MO. I'll be happy to follow you back and look forward to getting to know you. I saw on your profile page that we share a love for Gladys Taber books.

    This is a cute post about the bumblebee! And I never knew they were once called humblebees.

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  5. How sweet that you have a favorite bumblebee! So nice of you to watch over him as he dried. Your flowers are very pretty. No wonder he likes them! xo

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  6. Beautiful sunny summer flowers!
    Love your busy bee.........I'm very very fond of them.

    Happy weekend,
    Ruby

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  7. Bees are interesting to watch, and I am sure that there are many that return daily to the coreopsis in our wildflower garden. But although I have watched them many times, I cannot tell one from the other as you have done. Glad yours was able to dry off and fly off and hopefully will return after its drenching.

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  8. Sounds as though you have made a gardening friend. I'm thinking that maybe he enjoyed that little bath. Although it took him a minute to dry off and take off for flight. Gave you time for a great photo. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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