#osmia lignaria

[bugtoucher420]

I think if I’d realized what I was taking a picture of I would’ve spent MUCH longer trying to get the perfect shot despite the afternoon heat and the flies. This blue mason bee was so small I was just barely tracking what looked like a tiny gunmetal blur as it moved from flower to flower.

I will be revisiting this same corner of the meadow to see if I can find more!

[dksartz]

February Painting Challenge Day 1: Mason Bee!

Featuring Osmia Lignaria, the Blue Orchard Bee!

I'm very happy with how this little guy turned out ♡

My goal for these 14 paintings in 28 days is to push myself to finish pieces, to do good work, in a set time frame, and get them done. Embracing the idea that 'perfect is the enemy of done', because I have a tendency to not finish things because I'm afraid to ruin them.

About this painting challenge: I am doing 14 small paintings in 28 days for February, using a limited color palette + 14 Insects prompts! My colors I will be using for all 14 paintings are: teal, macaroni, scarlet, maroon, and white.

[dasypodainae]

I recently began to draw bees and was strongly encouraged to share them further. I hope that you enjoy my bees?

[vespidaze]

bees :)

[ID: Two digital drawings of bees with plants. Both are transparent images. Image 1: A blue orchard mason bee, Osmia lignaria, atop a wild geranium. There are two pink flowers emerging from the stem, and four leaves below them. Image 2: A common eastern bumblebee, Bombus impatiens, curled up under a brown autumn leaf. It's surrounded by a white border. End ID].

[5-and-a-half-acres]

It was a cold morning so I was able to get a close up while they were relatively still.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/mason_bees.shtml

[awidevastdominion]

[natureisthegreatestartist]

I love my little mason bees and I’m so relieved they’re doing better. Last year, only one tube was filled with eggs in my bee house. This year, 12 tubes are already filled. Maybe it’s because I added a lot of gloppy garden clay to their mud source on my deck and kept it nice and wet. Whatever the reason, it’s good news, right?

[saturniidays]

Watch This Native Pollinator Build Her Bee-Jeweled Nest

Research shows that 400 female blue orchard bees are as effective at pollinating almonds as the more than 10,000 bees in a honeybee hive. But they reproduce slowly and are prone to wandering.

I read this article and watched this video in class and I thought it was super interesting, so I thought you all would appreciate it as well