Bee Fly, Bishop’s Weed, and Wowza Clover 6/5/17

I heard a neat interview today about beetles found in the La Brea tar-pits that still survive today called La Brea Beetles Revisited.  Check it out here.  Our friends today are the cool customer I used to call a teddy bear fly that I found out is a type of bee fly, the bishop’s weed blossom that it was hanging out in, and a white clover blossom that turned out to be a wowza portrait.  Enjoy 🙂
sit snowy blossoms
while I land upon your leaves
I am a bee fly
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
insects sip from me
I help to fix the soil
I am a clover
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Bright Bee Fly Blessings, Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Ladybug, Ladybug 6/4/17

A hot and windy day so far with ladybugs making new ladybugs 😉  Also aphids in the first photo and another lone ladybug cruising along.
we are so grateful
for ladybugs and others
who help us garden
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Lovely Ladybug Blessings, Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Native Bee and Skipper 6/3/17

This morning was beautiful.  It got hot, though not bad, later in the afternoon.  I was able to get the little native bee that protects the milkweed.  These are a megachiles (leafcutting) type of bee and chase other insects away as well as grapple with honeybees to try and drive them off of their beloved milkweed.  The skipper is a different type than yesterday’s.
hi, little skipper
do you love scabiosa,
the purple flower?
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Bright Bee and Butterfly Blessings, Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Skipper, Milkweed Bug, and Native Bee 6/2/17

Today has been sunny and pleasant.  Today I have a native bee (with an ant looking on), a milkweed bug, and a skipper.  I still await the appearance of my beloved milkweed beetles.
little insect friends
I’m curious about you
where you come and go
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
look who’s visiting
bees, beetles, and butterflies
it’s a sunny day
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Bright Butterfly and Bee Blessings, Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Milkweed and Friends 6/1/17

Today was overcast. I was able to get some photos of my milkweed with a honeybee, a couple of different native bees, and you can even see an ant here and there if you look closely.  The stripey bee we saw in the Cranefly and Native Bee 5/31 post.  As I mentioned then, this bee loves milkweed and was seen today trying to chase off the dark honeybee seen below.  The honeybee was not deterred. The teeny tiny bee was awesome.
every spring I wait
and look forward to milkweed
with visiting friends
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
nectar for many
home to a few exclusives
marvelous milkweed
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Bright Milkweed and Bee Blessings, Namu Amida Butsu, Namaste
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Crane Fly and Native Bee 5/31

The sunny day allowed me to get this big crane fly and a cute native bee.  I often see this type of bee on milkweed.
sitting in the sun
a crane fly and native bee
in the sweet clover
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Bright Bee Blessings, Namu Amida Butsu, Namaste
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven  

Bee Butts 5/30

My neighbors’ lilac is blooming and the native bees are visiting.  This lilac seems to bloom later than others I’ve seen around the neighborhood.  The above butt belongs to a carpenter bee and the cute little bottom below belongs to a native bee that I don’t know the name of, though I see them around and have photographed them on milkweed blossoms during other years.  Super cute!
busy native bees
sipping on lilac blossoms
bottoms up, pretties
~ Raven Ariana Simons @2017
Bright Bee Blessings, Namu Amida Butsu, Namaste
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

3 Days of Roses 5/27 – 5/29

My neighbors have lovely roses that have done spectacularly this spring because of all the rain we’ve had.  I took the above photo on Saturday the 27th, the following photo on Sunday the 28th, and the last on Memorial Day (the 29th).  I hope you had a lovely day of remembering. The above bud lived on a bush across the street and the others on my next door neighbors’ bush.
roses remember
gorgeous colours unfolding
grace the neighborhood
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
Memorial Day Blessings, Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven

Avens and Bumblebee 5/26/17

Variable weather allowed me to take these photos of geum aka avens at my neighbors’.  I happened to see a bumblebee visiting, too.
little bumblebee
taking a sip from avens
gathering pollen
~ Raven Ariana Simon ©2017
Namaste, Namu Amida Butsu, Bright Bee Blessings
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!~Raven

Small and Smaller 5/25/17

After yesterday’s photos of canyon trees, reservoir, and cloudscapes, this morning’s captures of little friends in my yard and my neighbors’ are a contrast in size.  Also we see the first opening milkweed blossoms.  The above little leafhopper on milkweed is the tiniest of today’s friends.  The grasshopper is tiny, too.
milkweed leafhopper
grasshopper at the neighbors’
tiny little friends
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017

A little shower then sunshine then overcast again brought some refreshment to milkweed and other plants and friends.
Here’s the first blossoms!
a monarch’s breakfast
and promise for new sweet meals
blossoming milkweed
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
wee-est grasshopper
on purple little daisy
what are you seeing?
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
The hummingbird is the largest of today’s friends and is happily partaking at the feeder.  There was a downy young hummer, too, though I didn’t get a photo.  I didn’t think the male helped with raising babies, yet I’ve noticed that the male hangs out by the nesting area.  They nest in a little juniper and Oregon grape thicket, so I can’t actually see or observe the nest.

sipping the nectar
o hummingbird hummingbird
do you have babies?
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017
little leafhopper
are you refreshed by the rain?
will you be drinking?
~ Raven Ariana Simons ©2017

Namaste, Bright Late Spring Blessings, Namu Amida Butsu
Our hearts give thanks for the Grace in the Universe!
~ Raven