It's Alll A Buzz

I've become a insectologist. No, not a entomologist for they are knowledgeable about insect. I'm just addicted to watching them. I'm especially facinated by bugs on plants. They remind me of a monkey grooming as they rifle with their front legs through the pedals. Some, like the bug in the photo above, don't have pollen sacks, why? Maybe I just can't see them. Oh how I'd love a microscope. I could discover ever so many things with it.

I could observe this bee closely. It isn't a honey bee but it has pollen sacks like one.

And that gray bee I showed you last month. Well I think you are right, herdog. It does appear to be a digger bee. Wish one would show up again so I could get a another look. I'll just have to keep watching.

As for our honey bees, they are bringing in lots of pollen in the mornings and a little in the evenings. 

The middle of the day you don't see pollen on their legs so I assume they are bringing in nectar. Their pace picks up at that time of day. In part I'm sure because it is warmer and after all they are cold blooded.

I was getting worried for our bees and the countryside as it has been extremely dry and warm. We don't have any irrigation in this country and I feared that there would not be any grass or flowers. There isn't many anyway but a few helps with the bees. 

 Then to my relief, it poured down rain this evening, soaking me completely through as I did our chores and Kirk joined me to do a friends chores. There are five goats to milk and four bottle calves to feed along with a passel of kids to hay.

I don't know about you but it is hard to find someone else who can fill in and milk when your gone. It's why we rarely go if one of the family can't fill in.  Even then, most times when I leave, the goats drop in milk production and loose weight. Yes, they miss their mother. Dairy animals are more emotional. I'd bet it is the heightened hormones associated with milk production.

Oh my, it must be late at night because I started out with a bee post and ended up talking goats. You know what's on my mind. Yup, I've got to decide what kids to keep and what kids to sell. I'd best get some shut eye as it's up early with two sets of chores to do before heading out with my mare to the farrier's to have her feet trimmed.