Happa Asks . . .

Hop and Pop clean up.

"Why do we have to clean up, Pop?  I like living in a barn."

Bee Watching

 

I've been watching the carpenter bees.  I occasionally see them checking out the house.  Carpenter bees excavate a perfect (as though it were made with a drill) round hole in wood to lay their eggs.  They will use a dead tree or a building for their nests.  We've been keeping up with the painting and so haven't had a problem with them nesting in the house.

 

  A carpenter bee looks a lot like a bumble bee, but carpenter bees have a bare, shiny black abdomen instead of a fuzzy one like a bumble.  

The carpenter bees have been enjoying the flowering sage. Their robust bodies and large size make it easy for them to reach the nectaries in the back of the flower--they're strong enough to simply part the petals.

 A honeybee needs to crawl almost all the way in to get to the good stuff.

 I've also seen the the carpenters feeding on columbine.  The nectaries are in the back of the flower spur.

 The carpenter bee pierces the end of the spur to get to the nectar.  Since this technique bypasses the flower stamens, I don't see any advantage to the columbine.

It's amazing how those tiny wings keep the bees aloft.

It's Nesting Season

A pair of mourning doves have been spending a lot of time

on the transom ledge above the front door.

I open the door and go out.  They fly away, but not too far.

Just out to the spruce in the yard.

 

After opening the door dozens of times 

and pulling down all their twigs and grasses several times, 

I think I've convinced them not to nest above the front door.

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p.s.   They've moved around to a basket 

on top of the shelves on the side porch!

The Earliest Tulip

Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder'

ditto

 

The Bees in the Willows

On a warmish afternoon the pussy willow is abuzz.

The honey bees seem to love it as much as I do.

Look how full the pollen sacs on their rear legs are.

It's a pity there's another bit of wintery weather forecast.

 

 

 

Happa asks....

"You think bars can hold me ?"

Vernal Equinox

It's time to pet the pussy willows.

Salix chaenomeloides

Salix chaenomeloides

The Japanese species is bursting with stamens.

Salix discolor

The native species is a bit behind.

Snow-rain-wintery mix is forecast for the next four days.

Happy vernal equinox!

Happa Says....

" Feed me a bit of fresh spring grass,

And I'll let you scratch my head."