Pollinator Palooza!

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Β·@thomasd04Β·
0.000 HBD
Pollinator Palooza!
As I went to fill my watering can this morning I noticed my Crepe Myrtle bushes were engulfed by bees.  The bushes must have just opened a new batch of pollen laden blossoms because I had only seen the little sweat bees lately.

![9657B490-F1BC-41A8-A717-F163FE1D4120.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmZUBMyLo8Zx7w7xZGFkBH1hGWamPoES8CBzudUii4yd3R/9657B490-F1BC-41A8-A717-F163FE1D4120.jpeg)

Here is the standard honey bee.

![F0966B22-B4C3-40FB-AA1A-FC61AE0B6186.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmTxVyuiQa3aiaXF3nxZgG7uHUdb1Xkgq8VFEYWGFYHNDj/F0966B22-B4C3-40FB-AA1A-FC61AE0B6186.jpeg)

Good to see that my bushes take a part in making our yummy local honey πŸ˜‹

![135795B0-0B16-4AB0-981B-7570D39888A5.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmPLsoheZExzJchEgpfEXA3howBXKXWNaqdUTmAGfpT6m9/135795B0-0B16-4AB0-981B-7570D39888A5.jpeg)

I love how transparent their wings are.

I was also able to catch some shots of bumble bees.


![11777D1B-90A3-431E-8F59-15786628A9A8.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmV9PpHajYxr6guJzZhzSiAKSq3XZRc1zMkJc1cYxf8Tes/11777D1B-90A3-431E-8F59-15786628A9A8.jpeg)

Is that pollen on the end of its abdomen???

![69573B1B-3450-4DD3-9FA3-DF47E30D203A.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmebTBCL7TvbqXQzBqhKg48z9DfJ64ToEgqaq53rKUKuJi/69573B1B-3450-4DD3-9FA3-DF47E30D203A.jpeg)

I love how golden the thorax looks.

![EE906B4E-63E7-470F-8CE9-ACE1EC47D8C8.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmQjYeTXRxnsCkgsmXHqYrdenN6gAiUTDeQNwnjNgdNKy2/EE906B4E-63E7-470F-8CE9-ACE1EC47D8C8.jpeg)

Pollen collecting on the legs.

![028C945A-4075-454B-B7E9-A9A6F38F9872.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmfTuynh4xEPbLBBNKQp6dE5QK7c6p81m4PDYX78vW1dKk/028C945A-4075-454B-B7E9-A9A6F38F9872.jpeg)

There were also a million little sweat bees, but I could not get any good pictures of them here.

So I went to my portulaca, also called rose moss or Mexican rose and captured some sweat bees there.

![0031850F-68F2-4478-9919-DD0E10EE68BA.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmdM8ZEFZHVNCHz6ZgzF2XYKaWpBELGBF4JSpUvamtiZxa/0031850F-68F2-4478-9919-DD0E10EE68BA.jpeg)

These guys can be very annoying with there constant pestering but rarely sting me.

![0C9E4288-8FE7-42A7-9685-CA0F7F800965.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWUiF4YCoDxQk59mctHKpZBhhQusm4HG1Wxj5x1tCBKeb/0C9E4288-8FE7-42A7-9685-CA0F7F800965.jpeg)

Their iridescent green bodies are captivating.

![E51A02D0-45F5-4AA1-927F-EB705DB792D8.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmfY3bEYvfHcWvy89XWXAKkWuaD7wkJ6xLhGnVKw6ipUpu/E51A02D0-45F5-4AA1-927F-EB705DB792D8.jpeg)

![F7CC769F-26E9-42EB-A241-320B24AAA58A.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmTXsJivHdaqoMFrC1kqTQ1WiLebLqH2A2fA4c1W5Hsvxi/F7CC769F-26E9-42EB-A241-320B24AAA58A.jpeg)

Can you believe that there are over 400 different species of bees in Missouri?

![28E12C67-032B-4C4E-833D-99AE4275AC0A.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQme9gk2YGvndDBjJMPXEF92eRSe6wp7576pLTufVdLeByE/28E12C67-032B-4C4E-833D-99AE4275AC0A.jpeg)

Sweat bees are tiny measuring only 3 - 12 mm per stlzoo.org https://www.stlzoo.org/files/9413/3303/3161/MO_Bee_Guide_w_boarder.pdf

![ABBD2BC9-9616-4079-846D-C5B72416437C.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmUuf98gphfr1VYJuB9XTzz4T5f5fRCbF2G1cRMQEWiZQw/ABBD2BC9-9616-4079-846D-C5B72416437C.jpeg)

See how tiny this little guy is!

Once I finished my bee adventures I wondered our property to see what else I could find.


![AF65882B-634C-43FB-8B9B-6CA9672860FA.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWuzz2477pRPQZpbWQD49jWNp4qrhqcmqLMuecKPmPtnK/AF65882B-634C-43FB-8B9B-6CA9672860FA.jpeg)

Hello beautiful Monarch!

![5FBFBBC6-A301-4C04-85F4-B0D11CD13105.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWN3oW38LpjHw4VQBwCkEWBq5Kuonvxq2tMfDDJD4Ntny/5FBFBBC6-A301-4C04-85F4-B0D11CD13105.jpeg)

Glad the echinacea could give you what you need.

![D7731074-DA3F-4B18-9AF2-F12156432186.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWoQ48frFhg7jhQ8qZ4pg4TCBR81sW8WD9dVkBSqPiKaK/D7731074-DA3F-4B18-9AF2-F12156432186.jpeg)

The butterfly was in no hurry to leave and did not seem bothered by my presence.

![0D9B4283-792D-4DB5-B6A0-8E2CD13BED24.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmarydWcYDKcaEmQMEVwGgLVR3cF8hSGwU454g6PTftgpN/0D9B4283-792D-4DB5-B6A0-8E2CD13BED24.jpeg)

Finally I managed get some some shots of the local hummingbirds.

![9336E1FA-4F26-4EA4-BE8C-9A539837D930.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmXu9FjfPcrujmjSvcaETPqqHEPPmUbYMvYRAm2Efp6Cih/9336E1FA-4F26-4EA4-BE8C-9A539837D930.jpeg)

This is a ruby-throated hummingbird.  However, this is a female.  Only males have the red throats.

![08E7537C-7F08-413C-9315-9EA9AC203253.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmf9NjrF62SPMJkCuNBVE3eyLGJUHxMr7p6QXMjwBjrKuY/08E7537C-7F08-413C-9315-9EA9AC203253.jpeg)

This is an adult.  Sometimes you can see a small patch of red forming on the throats of juveniles.

![DB5210E4-AF07-47AC-82E4-A2CB95AA0E69.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmPRm6ZMnGCtsaqF254Z2zURYJRa9ZHkJYM4vqxmSDYU69/DB5210E4-AF07-47AC-82E4-A2CB95AA0E69.jpeg)

I also caught one taking a break on our fence.


![B9B3F762-A037-431C-ADF5-3AC5D1494DCF.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmc2nkMi2RnVApERFrW5ZEW6f4weajHRvcrds8SEBUpFRv/B9B3F762-A037-431C-ADF5-3AC5D1494DCF.jpeg)

Can you see her in the middle?

![47A1F7F1-B463-48A5-88FB-6967455F90AE.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmQKevLt86L1dfhcYN3YG18jwBvSNXDtAihQVHXmFEUkYk/47A1F7F1-B463-48A5-88FB-6967455F90AE.jpeg)

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the only kind old hummers we get here in Missouri.

Thanks for joining my pollinator yard party today πŸπŸŒΈβ˜€οΈπŸ¦‹
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