Honeybee

"Honeybee"
pen sketch

I was absurdly pleased this morning to see a bee visiting the purple speedwell growing in one of my flowerbeds this morning.  "Look!  A bee!" I squealed with delight to my significant other.  As spring progresses into summer and more of my flowers bloom, I've looked to see if I have any visiting pollinators.  Alas, not even the clover in the lawn has attracted bees, at least not while I've been around to observe it (admittedly, I am not home very much- something that I'd like to remedy).

You don't have to follow the news to know that bee populations are dwindling rapidly.  Just sit outside on a warm afternoon near some flowers, and you'll be surprised (and maybe saddened) as I am by the lack of these fuzzy little guys.  It's tragic for the bees, and bad news for us two-legs.  Without bees, we lose a lot of pollinators that make agriculture possible.  Certain species of flowering plants that require bees to assist in their reproduction may see a decline, as well.  There are many other species of pollinators out there, but how long until climate change and disease affect them, too?  

I want to help the bees, and I try to do so by planting flowers they find attractive in my garden, and allowing some dandelions and white clover to live in my lawn.  It's all right if I don't have pristine perfect grass if it's helping nature out a little.

Bees

"Mistaken for a flower"
HTC One camera phone

I almost didn't draw something today, but I convinced myself that it was worthwhile to try, even if it didn't turn out great.  And it would be okay if it didn't turn out well, because I'm rather tired and am on the eighth day of working twelve days straight.  Yesterday, during a very long and hot twelve hours of being on my feet, there was a bee that would not leave me alone.  (Foolish me, wearing perfume to an outdoor event).  I did have the opportunity to take some photos with my phone, since it was both quite persistent and docile in insisting that I had to be a flower of some sort.  One of the photos came out surprisingly artsy; my phone's camera was having trouble with the bright sunlight, but it yielded a very interesting effect.  Below is the drawing based off of the photo.  Bye the bee, we ought to be concerned about their declining population.  Plant native (or at least non-invasive) flowering plants in your back yard as a start to helping out- I'm planning on getting some veronica to augment my flowerbed.

"Bee the Light"
pen- sketchbook