“Connect” is today’s Photography 101 topic and I decided that a photo of pollinators was in order. After all, the connection between pollinators and the plants they pollinate is incredibly important. The mutually beneficial (usually) relationship means the bees get fed lots of sugary nectar and/or protein-rich pollen and the plants get their pollen moved about. It’s a pretty good deal for both the pollinators and the pollen producers!
I did a program about tree phenology citizen science for a bunch of college students today and when we visited the redbud on our tree trail, everyone refused to go near it because it was absolutely covered in bees. All I had with me was my iPhone, so that’s what I used for this photo:
Bees swarming redbud
The number of carpenter bees flying around this tree was astounding! I loved it, stood under the tree for a while and let the bees swirl around me. A rather magical experience overall!
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The Dragonfly Woman 
Love your pic of the bees in the flowering tree. In Arizona the African Sumac trees bloomed late January and February. The trees were so full of bees. They were so intent on gathering nectar that they weren’t alarmed by my presence. I love to stand under the trees and listen to the humming and watch them at work. Fascinating. It sounds like the trees were singing to the world!
I miss seeing things bloom so early in the year! Definite benefit of living in the desert I think. :) Glad you had a similar experience with your blooming trees! I think it’s just lovely to have them buzzing all around me, such a beautiful sound.
Love the photo! I can imagine how cool it felt to have so many swirling about you. I’ve only experienced that with angry wasps. Nothing magical in that at all. :-)
I’ve had that experience too! Definitely not magical.
Nice photo! I bet the buzzing sounds were interesting to hear, too. Did you know Red Bud tree blossoms are edible for humans, too? My family thinks I’m nuts, but they are tasty on salads. I was in the yard munching a few blossoms today! (after the honeybees got out of the way) :)
I’ve heard that before, but I haven’t ever tried them! Maybe I will this spring. There are certainly a lot of blossoms on the trees right now!
Oh I can’t wait to hear those little bees humming :-)
We are having snow again so I guess they will stay in for some more time but sooner or later they will be out buzzing around and being busy :-)
Hope you have nice weather on the way soon!
This great shot reminds me of the bees around my Catalpa tree when it blooms… They’re everywhere… Even crawling in the new-fallen ones on the ground,,, Sure funny to watch them waddle around on wobbly flowers…
John
The best is when bees get into fermented nectar and get a little drunk, but wobbly flowers are good too. Bees really aren’t that graceful, as insects go.