We've had a couple of very bright sunny days this week, not cold when the sun is shining on you, and when the air is still can you almost imagine its low yellow rays might be warming you up a little. But it was hardly tropical, indeed it wasn't even double figures.
A decent January day, in other words.
So, on my little Tourette relief walk I like to take at lunch time, inspecting the bright gorse flowers on campus, imagine my astonishment when at the back of the bush, I saw a lone honey bee making its way into the flowers, orange pollen shopping bags very visible on its legs.
Walking back, there was another feeding off high up hazel catkins.
A little later on, with the sun a little higher, I went out again, and there they were, in reasonable numbers. I was able to get a couple of photos, before heading further out onto the campus badlands, to where the stinking helleborine grows.
The flowers weren't even fully open, and yet there were a few more honey bees feeding off the closed green flower bells, climbing deep inside until out of view.
That was yesterday. They were about again today, although fewer in number in chillier temperatures.
I've never before seen bees on the wing in January. Normally, its mid February when the crocuses are in flower that they appear. Other people have reported seeing them too.
Have you?
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.01.25
No comments:
Post a Comment