Now that I had found the South Plains Bumble Bee at home, it was time to go look on the grasslands.
Our first stop was at a thick patch of Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)! The honey bees was buzzing loudly.
Cowpen Daisy (Verbesina encelioides) was near the entrance. Surely there would be a bumble bee there. Nope.
I stopped to net another bee, a bee fly, but instead came up with a big green walkingstick!
Snake-cotton (Froelichia floridana) and a katydid (Tettigoniidae)!
A few of the Flat-flower Gerardia (Agalinis homalantha) was scattered about.
Also the Blue Sage (Salvia azurea var grandiflora) was in the mix!
So just as we had given up on finding any bumble bees, Jeanne spotted one on the Narrow-leaf Gayfeather (Liatris punctata var mucronata)! This photo was after the fact as we were more intent on catching the bumble. Photos later right.
Success! We captured the first one! It was an American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus). Not what I had hope for, but still a nice girl!
After chilling her I set out to get the photos. I had made a grid of one centimeters for measurements.
I took many angles. Here was the all black hairs on the face. She warmed up and took off no worse for the wear.
So this had been the first try of the setup capturing with a net, doing the chilling, and taking the photos in the field. I was pleased how it was working. Then we continued on the hunt to a new location!
What a beauty!!
She was!🐝
Glad you found her
Us too!
Love that bee face!
Guess I’ll have to see the comet online – no view of horizon through all the trees.
I hope we can see it. We have our alarm on to remind us to go to look.
I’m up very early every day so will look for the comet every morning. Ball Knob Hill (highest ground in Wise County) may be in my way.