Lmst

So, I can say that given the observations made by myself, my hubby and my neighbors, the bumblebees have made a HUGE comeback in #SouthernMaine this year (despite the drought)! There were very low #Bumblebee populations last year (more #CarpenterBees and #honeybees and a few smaller #NativeBees). A lot of us are #GardeningForPollnators and #GardeningWithoutChemicals , so I think that's helping!

#SolarPunkSunday #Bees #BeeHugger #BeeHuggah

A bumblebee in some seedum flowers (small pink flowers), next to a house.

Sidewalk art!!!

#BeeHuggah #StreetArt

A stencil of a yellow bee on a sidewalk, next to grass which is poking through the cracks.

A sidewalk stencil of a pink flower with a yellow center and green leaves, and a cross-shaped pattern. There are green and brown leaves above the image.

In other news, the air quality was much better in #Maine today (still not great -- listed as "Fair" rather than "Poor" or "Unhealthy"). Anyhow, I opened up the barn window and heard lots of buzzing coming from outside. I looked down to see TONS of bumblebees (and a few other bees) going to town on the #Burdock flowers (another "weed" that I let grow this year, knowing how much the bees love it). I grabbed my camera and managed to snap a nice close-up of a bumblebee pal and a stray honeybee (maybe from a hive down the road) mostly sharing a flower (there was plenty to go around, so I didn't see much aggression between them).

#Maine #GardeningForPollinators #Rewilding #Bloomscrolling #Beescrolling #Beehuggah

A bumblebee enjoying a batch of thistle-like purple flowers (burdock flowers). There is another bee (a honeybee?) flying above and to the left of the bumblebee. In the background are grass, trees, and some houses.

A bumblebee and a honeybee enjoying a batch of thistle-like purple flowers (burdock flowers) In the background are grass, trees, and some houses.

A bumblebee enjoying a batch of thistle-like purple flowers (burdock flowers). There is another bee (a honeybee?) enjoying some flowers near the bumblebee. In the background are grass, trees, and some houses.

More #Bloomscrolling -- I love seeing how full my #Bumblebee pals' pollen sacs are after they visit the #Goldenrod we let grow!

#GardeningForPollinators #bumblebees #Bees #Beehuggah #Maine #SolarPunkSunday

A bumblebee with very full pollen sacs, enjoying a goldenrod plant in bloom (tiny yellow flowers full of pollen).

#Bloomscrolling break. And hubby wanted to remove the #MilkThistle plant near the rain barrel (we have a couple of plants). I was like, "Nope! The bees love it! It stays! Just watch out for the prickly bits."

#Bees #bumblebees #NativeBees #Beehuggah #Flowers #GardeningForPollinators #SolarPunkSunday

A blooming purple thistle flower with two bees on it (a bumblebee and a small native bee). There are prickly leaves that sting if they touch you. In the background is a clay-red rain barrel next to a house.

Thank you! For all you do!@thebeeguy

#Bee #Beehuggah

Native Plant Database - #WildHydrangea

"Mass or group in shaded area of the mixed shrub border or naturalize in native plant or woodland garden. Flowers can be used in fresh or dried arrangements.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Grow in full sun to partial shade in rich, moist soil. Tolerates deep shade. Blooms on new growth so can be cut back to the ground in early spring to control size. Remove suckers to prevent plant from spreading. A solid generalist.

"Large clusters of flat, creamy white, flowers open in June and last for many weeks. Plants bloom most of the summer. Pollen-rich flowers attract many insects. Plants form rounded mounds. Flowers can be used in fresh or dried arrangements. Grow in partial shade in rich moist soil. Tolerates deep shade.

"Part of our Pollinator Buffet plant tag series. The eastern bumble bee and other insects pollinate wild hydrangea. It is one of the most widespread and abundant bumble bees in the eastern US. Also attracts azures and hairstreaks and serves as larval host for hydrangea sphinx moth (Darapsa versicolor) and hydrangea leaf-tier moth (Olethreutes ferriferana)."

Source:
https://grownative.org/native_plants/wild-hydrangea/

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #NativePlants #Gardening #Bumblebees #Beehuggah

Spent some much-needed #GreenTime in the enclosed backyard space, just sitting and watching bees (well, I took some pictures with my DSLR camera as well). They are digging the patches of catnip, lemon balm and oregano -- which are all in bloom! There was one Japanese beetle sighted as well (time to set-up the traps).

#Bloomscrolling #Nature #Flowers #Herbs #Bees #Beehuggah #Maine #GardeningForPollinators #SolarPunkSunday #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime

A bumblebee collecting pollen on a lemon balm plant. The flowers are white and the leaves very green.

Two bumblebees on a catnip plant. In the background is a forest behind a fence, and a patch of flowering herbs in front of the fence.

A patch of flowering oregano and lemon thyme plants. In the background is a darker, woodsy area.

The itty bitty bees were digging the #BlackEyedSusans, but were a little camera-shy...

#Gardening #Nature #GardeningForPollinators #Bees #BeeHuggah #Maine #Flowers

A group of yellow daisies (Black-Eyed Susans) with dark brown centers.

#Bumblebees along with the #Sweatbees were also digging all the flowering #Milkweed! Some of my neighbors must think I'm mad, but my next door neighbor loves it!

#Gardening #Nature #GardeningForPollinators #Bees #BeeHuggah #Maine #Flowers #NativeFlowers

A flowering milkweed plant, with light lavender and white flowers. A metallic green sweat bee is gathering pollen from one of the flowers. In the background are plants and trees out of focus.

Dusted off the camera today. It wasn't too hot, the sun was out, and my #bumblebee friends were digging the #WildHydrangea flowers! I'm glad I gave them more space and light last year -- it paid off this year!

#Gardening #Nature #GardeningForPollinators #Bees #BeeHuggah #Maine #Flowers #NativeFlowers

A bumblebee on top of a white, flowering hydrangea -- clusters of small white flowers and stamens, with big green toothy leaves. The background is shaded, which made the flower and bee stand out.

Lots of bee action around the yard today. Clover, tomatoes, milkweed flowers (which smell heavenly) -- and even the lettuce flowers! #Bumblebees and little bees! (Not shown -- flowering white oregano blooms and purple Thai basil flowers in containers. Full of bees). And yes. My gardens are messy -- just the way the bees like them!

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #Gardening #Bloomscrolling #Bees #Beehuggah

Milkweed plants in bloom. There are tiny bees on the leaves and on the flowers (they are hard to see). In the background is a plant in a macrame hanging planter.

A bumblebee pollinating a yellow tomato flower. In the background is a garage door painted red.

Purple clover in bloom with a bumblebee on it.

A collection of greenery -- leaves from bean plants hanging in pots, light pink tiny milkweed flowers, and black and brown daisies (Black-eyed Susans).

My own #BeeWateringStation! Though there isn't much action there today, since the flowers and leaves have lots of rainwater on them!

#SolarPunkSunday #BeeWatering #GardeningForPollinators #Gardening #BeeHuggah

A clay saucer in a wire basket. The clay saucer contains colorful stones and marbles, and has a bit of water in it. The saucer is surrounded by grass, leaves and flowers (black-eyed susans).

So, in other news, my #bumblebee friends are back! I only sighted a few on the rhododendron, but that's more than what I've seen in the past few weeks! I managed to catch a photo of one in flight with full pollen sacs! There were lots of little green #SweatBees there as well, but they are so tiny, it's hard to get a photo of them (and my camera battery had died, so I had to use my cell phone).

#BeeHuggah #Bloomscrolling #Flowers #Nature #Bees #Maine #PollinatorDiary #Pollinators

A bumblebee in flight near light magenta colored blossoms in bloom.

Some good news... I just saw a #bumblebee friend buzzing around the snapdragons. I hope more of them show up soon.

#GardeningForPollinators #BeeHuggah #bumblebees #Bees #Maine #MaineClimateDiary #WildlifeDiaryMaine #WildlifeDiary

Has anyone in #Maine / #NorthernNewEngland seen any #bumblebees yet?

#Bee #BeeHuggah #Bees #WildlifeDiary #Nature

So, May 27th, and no #bumblebee sightings here in my little acre of York County #Maine. I thought I heard one or two buzzing around before the latest round of rain, but now it's been a few days of warm, dry weather, and all I'm seeing are little bees. Usually the bumblebees are all over the lilacs, which are now past peak. I hope they show up soon, but I'm a bit worried about my little friends.

Photos are from the past two years -- the first one is from May 21, 2024 , and the second one is from May 11, 2023.

#BeeHuggah #Bees #ClimateDiaryMaine #WildlifeDiaryMaine #WildlifeDiary #GardeningForPollinators #Extinction?

A bumblebee on a lilac bush. In the background are bushes and a composter.

A bumblebee on a onion flower in a planter on concrete steps. In the background is grass and iris greenery.

#FalmouthMaine! Saturday, May 10th! Pollinator Parade Celebrates 10 Years!

by Molly Woodring, May 7, 2025

"Local families, including pollinator enthusiasts of all ages, will gather at #MaineAudubon’s #GilslandFarm on Saturday, May 10, 10 am to 1 pm, for the 10th annual Pollinator Parade and Picnic, to honor the winged species essential to our #ecosystems.

"Since 2015, Birth Roots and Maine Audubon have partnered to raise awareness about the vulnerability of the pollinator species that are critical to ecosystem health and our food systems, and the ways that people can support pollinator habitat. Many pollinator populations are in decline, and Pollinator Parade addresses this serious concern with a dose of family-friendly whimsy: families dressed as Monarch Butterflies can play and celebrate together, and then take home a milkweed plant that will support the real Monarchs due to arrive in Maine later this summer. That’s hundreds of new native plants spread across the landscape and even more photos shared that feature adorable costumes and a call to action, all before naptime.

"The event is inspired by festivals that honor the Monarch’s arrival in Mexico each fall, at the southern tip of the 3,000 mile migration that butterflies have completed annually for an estimated 20,000 years. The colorful parade, which starts at 11:30 am, invites young children, parents, and grandparents to embody a myriad of beautiful bugs, birds, and flowers—while calling attention to the urgent need for habitat protection and restoration.

" 'The #PollinatorParade is more than a picnic, parade, or dance party—it’s a call to action,' says Leah Deragon, Birth Roots’ co-founder and Director of Mission and Impact. 'We hope to capture the public’s imagination and inspire hearts and minds to take steps toward preserving pollinators for our grandchildren’s grandchildren.'

"Organizers aim to generate more substantive conversations about policies and the everyday actions people can take to care for pollinators—from planting #NativeSpecies and pollinator-friendly gardening, to reducing #pesticide use.

"This festival is one of hundreds like it nationwide, a growing movement since the late ‘90s to recognize and prioritize the role pollinators play to sustain all life.

"The Pollinator Parade is a ticketed event to buffer the impact on the Gilsland Farm #wildlife sanctuary during soft springtime soil. Gilsland Farm Audubon Center is located at 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth." [See below for registration link]

Source: https://maineaudubon.org/news/pollinator-parade-celebrates-10-years/

Registration link: http://www.hisawyer.com/birth-roots/schedules/activity-set/1386337

More info: https://maineaudubon.org/events/pollinator-parade-tenth-anniversary/

#MaineEvents #BeeHuggah #Nature #GardeningForPollinators #Pollinators

I went to dig up my garden bed and saw that it was the only place that had blooming wild strawberries and dandelions -- so no digging for now (until some other plants are blooming). I heard, but did not see, my first bumblebee of the season. I made sure the bee watering station was clean and ready to go!

#Gardening #GardeningForPollinators #BeeHuggah #SpringInMaine

A clay flower saucer with colorful marbles and stones, with water. The saucer is propped up in a planter. In the background are black garden pots and grass.

Dandelions blooming in an overgrown garden. The flowers are yellow and are full of small skinny petals.

Wild strawberry flowers amidst green leaves. The flowers are white with yellow centers.

@thebeeguy #BowieLove 🌟 #BeeHuggah 💚 🐝

#BeeHuggah

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