For me this has been the summer of pollinators. I have gotten to watch many different kinds of bees and other insects visit lots of flowers, especially mountain mint.
The variety that are attracted to this flower is astounding! One insect I discovered is last week’s puzzler-– the handsome Great Northern Bumblebee, Bombus fervidus. This bee is also called the yellow bumblebee, for obvious reasons. Like other bumblebees it is native to North America and can be found throughout much of the northern United States and into southern Canada. Have you seen it on a flower near you?
The Great Northern Bumblebee is an important pollinator, with a long tongue to reach the nectar in flowers with a longer nectaries. It typically builds an underground nest, usually within a short distance of their food source.
Ready for another puzzler? I’ll do an easier one–this one featuring a SOUND that even if you haven’t heard, you may recognize. Check it out in this short video!