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Bumblebee love
August 19, 2009
I looked out the window, at my humming bird feeder, and saw bees not birds. You might say the birds and bees. It’s what my mother called it. So, I grabed my camera, and out the door. Now the hard part. The humming bird feeder is outside my bedroom window, on the second floor. So I got a step ladder, and went up. As you can see the sun was on the wrong side. I moved the ladder to the other side. On that side is a steep bank. So here I am standing on one leg leaning out, to keep the ladder from falling. I’m holding the camera in one hand, leaning out to get close enough to get the shot. I wasn’t vary steady or close. So the quality of the last photo isn’t the best. If I live another 60 years, I doubt I’ll ever see this again. I plan to print one of these, and give it to my brother, who works at an art shop, to frame, for my wall.
Terry
Mound, MN

Mating Bumble Bees

Hi Terry,
We think your photos are very nice, and since we teach photography, our opinion should count for something.  Even if the photos were terrible, we would post them because we love your letter so much.  The unbridled enthusiasm your expressed at witnessing this apian union is priceless.  We don’t feel qualified to identify what species your amorous Bumble Bees belong to since the BugGuide archive is quite daunting, but perhaps one or our readers will be helpful with the species identification.

Mating Bumble Bees

Daniel,
Thank you so much for the kind words. High praise indeed, from a professional like yourself.
These mating bumblebees were Identified, as Bombus impatiens, by a young man that goes by Vespula Vulgaris. Take a look, http://www.bugguide.net/nod/view/162893 . I’m no expert, but it looks like a match to me.
I have more photos to send you, but my computer is running slow. And before the photo has loaded, it shuts down. I guess it’s true what they say about old dogs.

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