The Bee is definitely a friend of the gardener, carrying pollen from flower to flower during its daily travels in search of nectar. Here is a sequence of photos showing a bee collecting nectar from a patch of Euphorbia:
Now at the other end of the scale of desirability - the Pigeon. This bird is the scourge of the Allotmenteer nationwide. It has a particular liking for young brassica seedlings, and will demolish many weeks' worth of careful nurturing in a couple of minutes.
Pigeons don't normally cause any damage in my garden, being content to feed on the bread I put out. There was however one year when they discovered my Purple Sprouting Broccoli and tucked into it, but that was before I started using nets. The pigeon is too ungainly (and too stupid?) to be able to take seeds from the hanging bird-feeder, but you can often see them trying to figure out how to do it - as here. Ummm...
Maybe if I just dive off and hope for the best...?
Actually it's a good job they haven't learned how to get at the seeds because their appetite is so huge they'd demolish the lot all in one go.
You know the expression "Billing and cooing"? Well, here's some of it going on, on the roof of my shed.
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P.S. This one is for my friends in Australia...
Gosh Mark ! These photos are the bees knees. Seriously, they are stunning.
ReplyDeleteYour pidgeons are very pretty and BIG. The ones we have here don't bother anything. As a matter a fact, I really almost never have any bird damage. Once in a while on a plum but not very often.
ReplyDeleteFantastic close ups of that bee-the detail on the wings was amazing!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome photos...I'm especially partial to the bees :)
ReplyDeleteCarolyn
What type of camera and lens do you use for the insect photos?
ReplyDeleteLisa
Hi Tomato Thymes; My camera is an Olympus E450, and the lens I used for the bee photos was a 35mm 1:3.5 Macro lens.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous bee shots, Mark. So far we've just seen bumblebees. I agree about pigeons being a scourge. Strangely, growing up in the country I don't remember them being a problem in my Dad's garden. Perhaps because they had large fields of brassicas to nibble on.
DeleteHa ha, lovely photos once I ignore that blatant attack on my national character.....he he he....I would point out that no self respecting ocker would consider drinking from a glass shaped like that! Half pint so the beer doesn't get too warm pretty much covers it.
ReplyDeleteJust catching up on your blog. I like your flower post on 1st April, you have alot in flower really. Took me awhile to figure out the racoons were part of April fool's lol!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. There's so much detail to see on the bees when you get in so close. I always net my brassicas, it wouldn't be worth growing them if I didn't as the pigeons would have a feast.
ReplyDeleteClever Mark getting those excellent bee shots. I nearly reduced the population of white doves by three the other day as they were getting all romantic in the middle of the road - why is is that they don't fly off till the very last minute - yes, I agree - they are very stupid!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bee photo at the top Mark. I just can't bring myself to dislike Wood Pigeons - we have one in the garden that visits the bird tables and basks in the sunshine. As for on the plot we find netting is fine for protecting the brassicas from pigeons and butterflies alike.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to adapt to the wildlife really don't you? Although maybe there are some that are more difficult to keep at bay such as whitefly and slugs and snails and ...
That first shot is A1! Nice closeups. No pigeons here.... lots of Sparrows
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bees. I've only seen one bumble bee all spring. I hope more bees show up soon.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of the bee's! We haven't seen bee's out much yet. It's been so cold and wet. Your sunny pictures made me happy! Cheers, Jenni
ReplyDeleteA lesson to be learned there......I must get busy!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photo's Mark. The fourth one is so clear.
ReplyDeleteHope your long weekend is going well...Bee happy (couldn't resist - sorry) ;D