Pollinators

As Spring blooms open I am watching
 the pollinators do their amazing work.

The male Tiger Swallowtail in his Spring form.

He is nectaring in the blooming Sargent Crab.

The bees have been busy in the Sargent Crab too.
I think this will be a good year for berries for this tree.
Come late winter the Robins and the Northern Cardinals
 will have a feast.

At first glance I thought the Tiger Swallowtail was a female because of the iridescent blue on the upper wing. A closer inspection showed the orange markings.

I learned from my Field Guide these are the markings of the male Tiger Swallowtail in his Spring form.

The Honey Bees are gathering pollen from the blooming Muscari.
We also call these darling little flowers, "Grape Hyacinth". My flower beds are bordered in these bulbs. For three weeks, during a cool April, they bloom and my gardens are transformed.  We are having a cool April and the Muscari have been in full bloom for two weeks.  These tiny bulbs are my favorite Spring flower in my gardens.
After the blooms fade I will clean and plant the flowers beds with my annual seeds.  Every year I cut off the Muscari spent blooms and encourage all the energy of the leaves of the plants to go into the bulbs. I often divide the bulbs and am currently filling beds for en-mass plantings.  Not only are the Muscari gorgeous but they are an excellent food source for the bees.

While working in our Kitchen, vegetable,  garden my husband watched a Miner bee build her nest.

and lay her eggs.

Getting down on hands and knees to garden means we get to see
up close the workings of nature.

It is a misty cool day.
Perfect day to work with photographs and field guides.

I fixed a pot of coffee for us to enjoy this afternoon.

We put on some music.

Our seeds for the "The Great Sunflower Project" arrived.
Our Earth day project is to plant them. We have joined in this year
and will count bees.

I did a little

 "Wee Bird and Wee Bee"  

drawing for Earth Day.

I am reading about the relationship of the Pleiades
and ancient people. The way they knew when to plant and when to harvest based on the rising and setting of this star cluster.

I wonder if the Monarchs have begun their migrations.
I am connected to the Pleiades, to honey and migrators.
I am connected to the Muscari.