Well they look like pagoda roofs to me. But the other interesting thing is that these bumble bees are breaking into the flowers through the rooftops, drilling into the nectar stores at the end of the flower tubes. This, I learn, is a habit of short-tongued bees, stealing the stash from the long-tongued bumbles (Bombus hortorum) who usually visit columbine flowers more politely, using the front door.
Roof Squares 17 Please drop in on Becky – for a very novel roof, and a brilliant round-up of everyone’s roof offerings
Tish Farrell 
Clever little bees 🙂
Intriguing about the bees!
Ha – like your wording –
Drilling and front door – ahhhh
And how fun to learn bee behavior
And side note – the Columbine is dear to me cos my hub’s Gramma had yellow ones – wild ones -some warm
Hues but mostly those yellow! all around her very small yellow house in a valley area in Colorado – and then this whole
Roof-top analogy is brilliant
Yellow columbines – they’re beautiful aren’t they. I have them in the garden for the first time this year; found the seedlings on an abandoned plot at the allotment last autumn and re-homed them. They flower later than the pink, white and mauve ones. So cheery.
Wow – how did you spot the seedlings??
And interesting they bloom st different times –
For some reason it seems the light purple were easy to grow -I have tried and tried some here in VA- to no avail.
But glad your transplants did well in new home
Spotted them because even when small, columbine seedlings have leaves like the parent plants 🙂
oh – nice – and that is how I find starters from my Rose of Sharon – even though I lost a dozen lively starters – but I spot them by their leaves
One of my allotment neighbours who makes lots of weeds and so makes me a touch irritable, has inadvertently bequeathed me masses of verbena bonariensis seedlings. They’re growing in the paths between my raised beds. So I’ve been busy potting them up in hopes of bringing them home to plant out later. Such tall and wafty plants for late summer. I’m now forgiving said neighbour his weed production 🙂
well that is pretty awesome of you to find the beauty – and flowers have a way of doing that to us – softens something inside eh?
and the weeds can still be just wrong –
but it sounds like you have that good self-regulation that does let your joy get robbed.
—
I was driving earlier this month and a bright pink (small) flower dropped from a crepe myrtle (my favorite tree from the US southern areas)
it landed on my window and brought a huge smile.
then I walked by a white flowering crepe myrtle yesterday and the aroma caught me and brought a smaller smile than the windshield drop – but I shook my head again at how small beauties can bring such little joy- keeps us soft I guess – or can if we let it
Yes, the small beauties in life – their power is greater than their size. Happy weekend, Yvette.
🙂
Ooh! I love this! I need to learn more about bumble bees!
I’m amazed how many different kinds there are. Lots of work to get one’s eye in identifying them too.
I have to admit. I never really thought seriously about bee tongues.
You know something: neither have I until these photos 🙂
We don’t get the Bumbles down here so it’s always nice to see them in your photos.
Happy to provide some bumbles. African bees don’t have a very good reputation do they? Short fuses and all that.
Lovely images Tish, and as usual I learned something new. Creatures are endlessly adaptable and innovative when necessary.
I think insects are probably among the most versatile creatures on the planet. I realise too that I don’t really know very much about them. Not very good at identifying different species either. More reasons to stand and stare in the garden 🙂
I agree! I guess with such short life-cycles, evolution works fast in the insect world.
That is a very good point.
Ah, thank you! I was watching bees doing the same on our columbine flowers just a few days ago and had wondered about the odd behaviour – don’t think I’d seen it before then. Short-tongued bees… what a lovely idea! 🙂
I’ve only just noticed the behaviour too, and we’ve had the aquilegias for years. Always something new to find 🙂
Thank you so very much for such a wonderful link. I’m loving your unusual roofs today. Gorgeous and a fascinating insight into the life of bees.
Thank you, Becky. There’s just so much to learn isn’t there 🙂
Love how you are thinking outside the square in this challenge Tish. I never knew there’s species of bumble bees, I thought a bumble was just a bumble. As you say always something new to find out about
What an interesting observation and how clever the short-tongued bees are! Beautiful photographs as ever… Looks like some really good weather is on the way…very warm and sunny, which is what we have enjoyed today. Thank you…Janet 🙂
Bees are very fascinating aren’t they. One needs to know more.
Sneaky wee beasties! 🙂
Well put.
I love your creative thinking!
Thank you, Gilly.
Lovely!
graceful and beautiful flowers