Bugs on Blossoms

The fruit trees are in full blossom today. They are beautiful in themselves, but they are also host to a whole community of insects. We all know that honey bees are important – pollination by honey bees make many of our crops, including domestic fruit possible. Not to mention honey production!!!

But there are many other insects that distribute pollen from one plant to another. There are, of course, the bumble bees, but there are flies that look like bees and moths that look like bumble bees or hummingbirds. And many, many other pollinators.

I have always found insects very interesting. I have a very early memory of watching ants at a small anthill in a sidewalk crack. It occurred to me then that these creatures were totally apart from me. I would not have known how to express my fascination then – but they were autonomous and totally oblivious of me. That is still an intriguing thought. There is a whole world of other beings with intriguing lives out there – and most are unaware of people and their concerns.

Anyway, I have included some photos of some pollinators that I have seen recently on the cherry, plum and apple trees here. I hope these photos stir an interest in insects for you too.

Bumble Bee on a blossom.

A syrphid fly – if it looks like a bee, acts like a bee and sounds like a bee – it could be a fly!

A Bee Fly (Bombyllidae) visiting lilacs. This family is parasitic on bee larvae and can be important pollinators.

A honey bee laden with pollen

A honey bee visiting a cherry blossom

A Clearwing Moth (genus Hemaris) possibly a Snowberry Clearwing Moth – imitating – a hummingbird or a bumblebee?

A Clearwing Moth and cherry blossoms

Maybe eating fresh buds??

The adult form of the Stonefly. The carnivorous nymphs are aquatic. The winged adults eat buds or leaves.

all photos and writing copyright Joanne Siderius 2013.