May's Featured Bee

The month of May in my North American Native Bee Calendar purchased from the Great Sunflower Project, features the Green Bee - Ultra Green Sweat Bee to be exact, genus Agapostemon. They emerge in early spring through summer and nest in the ground.

Green bees are small and slender. Females are entirely bright green. The males have a bright green thorax and yellow and black striped abdomen. They mate in late summer, early fall and the pregnant females hibernate over the winter. They then begin a new nest in spring for their young.

You might spot a green bee in your garden if you grow the following: grindelia (gumweed), erigeron (fleabane), coreopsis (tickseed), and cosmos.

 

I spotted this green bee in my Maine garden where I did have many cosmos and coreopsis, although he is perched on a cone flower. I did spy one last summer in my garden here but of course, did not have my camera. They are so striking and hard to miss. I hope to see more this year.

 An update on my mason bee house. You can see the holes are filling up and plugged with mud.

Old Friend

I spoke with an old, dear, true friend the other night. It was so great to talk with her. I hadn't spoken with her in a long time. She has also started a garden in her new home - which I've yet to see and must plan to visit soon. Her garden sounds beautiful. I miss her. I also miss my old garden in Maine - another old friend of mine that was dear - and unlike my friend, probably won't visit again. I wonder how it is doing ...

Has the baby clematis I planted grown up and overtaken this rustic trellis as planned? Did the nasturtium reseed itself and creep in? Have the foxglove advanced their magic purple towers?

A place in my heart still resides there, still in the woods, much like the dangling bleeding hearts that by now must hang heavy with overloaded branches.

Why didn't I take some of this irreplaceable iris?

Does this "lady" still spread her skirt to catch the morning dew?

Even with the excitement a new garden has to offer, thoughts of my old garden "pop up" from time to time. I hope the new care taker is indeed
taking care.

It was the first garden of mine in which I spotted a hummingbird moth,
and a green bee.

I suppose I am just "wining" like these 'snaps in wine.' I suppose we all have gardens we've left behind and that we think about now and then, or even try to recreate. We may have transplanted some parts of them in our new gardens just as we transplanted ourselves.

And I suppose we all have old, dear, true friends. Like the friend I should call more often and visit soon. Thyme is a short plant that creeps along the ground and before you know it, will take over.