Here we see a close up of a bumble bee in a lavender garden in northwest Greensboro. Locally, the lavender has passed its peak, at least for the first blooming. Bumble bees* have been visiting diligently since the first hint of a bloom. Actually, North Carolina is a great habitat for bumble bees, in that it isn't as hot as some of the other southern states. Ted Mitchell, who curated the North Carolina State University bee collection for more than thirty years, wrote two books on about bumble bees. Bumble bees are mid-identified as there are some copy-cat species (more here). Since sharp regional decline among honey bees has been noted in the region, those bumble bees and bumble bee "wanna-bees" are increasinly important to pollinating our plants. If you are an expert in been, please let us know if the above are bumble bees, or not........
*Everything you ever wanted to know about the body of a bumble bee can be found here! Locally, when we want to know about bees and beekeeping, we head to the Yanceville Curbside Market and talk to Mr. Mullins who has been selling honey there for years.
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