Some different African bees!
I am allergic to bees, but their beauty is stunning!
We took a walk up to one of the many flower sections on the apple farm and I thought to show you some different kinds of bees. They of course form an integral and important part of nature and I call them nature's little pollen soldiers!
Let's have a look!
I think this little guy is called a sweat bee/flower bee!
Here's another shot of him in flight!
And this guy is called a carpenter bee!
And here's another shot of him in flight!
There are many other species about and no doubt that I will take shots of them whenever we cross paths, but for now, apart from the giant wasps and the giant bees that I have posted before, this should be enough for now. Thankfully over here the apple farmers use organic sprays on the apple trees and the chemicals do not harm the bees. Instead during the blossoming season they hire bee hives that are placed in the orchards to enhance the pollination of the trees.
Which is a good thing, as we all have to protect the bees!
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After seeing how widely Roundup is being used in SA, I lost confidence in the fruit market. I hope you are right and that it applies to all apple orchards.
I wonder if it is the same for orange and naartjies - as I love orange blossom honey and used to buy all I need for the year, including honeycomb packets, but have not been able to find any for a few years now.
I am no authority on the spraying chemicals that farmers use my friend, but what I do know is that the organic side of things are certainly becoming more prominent. Which is a good thing as maybe fruit will start to taste again like it did in the old days!
I only mentioned the chemicals because many, who wish to eat healthy, think organic means non-GMO and non-sprayed with chemicals. Not always so, and it is worth checking with the farmer, if buying from a farmer's stall.
Until we solve problem of fruit being picked while still completely green so that they last the transition period to the market and from there to the shop, we will not have the tasty fruits I remember eating when I was young.
The best way is to grow your own, instead of decorative bushes and trees.
If you go to Kimberley, look at the trees planted on the pavement. Not decorative. Most are lemon trees, some orange, some guava, many olive trees and mulberries - maybe more, I do not know for certain.
Apparently there was a Greek councillor on the municipal board who insisted they do this and I loved it when I entered a Spar and they had a trolley at the entrance, offering free lemons ... taken from the trees on the pavement around the mall.
I wish they would do the same in every suburb throughout the world.
btw - check and try to get yourself a tomato tree (from Italy or the USA). They grow tomatoes nine months a year, with each tomato from 300gr to over half a kilo. Since you can grow them on your stoep, it means you can also pick them when they are ripe - and bursting with flavour.
(Note - in South Africa, the fruit I know as Tamarillo, is called a tomato tree - above, I was speaking of real tomatoes, as you eat in your salad.
This is a Tamarillo:
They are delicious and just full of vitmain C - also easy to grow.
The number of bees keep decreasing year by year. It's our responsibility to protect them from extinction
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Scary what man thinks about responsibilities my friend! A quick buck has become the god that rules the modern world and both the oceans and nature are crying out against man's excesses!
Beautiful photos, Stephen! I hardly ever see bees anymore.
So sad Lady Melinda, so sad. We pray for the day that mankind comes to its senses and realize that they are killing this planet! If it's not too late already! Blessings!
Wow, absolutely amazing photographs of different African bees.
I really like this pictures. Thanks for sharing this beautiful photographs..
Glad you liked them my friend and thank you!
Protecting bees is our human duty
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Totally agreed with you my friend, it is our duty to manage this earth very well!
Nice shoots. 😍 Some cool moments captured forever ✌️
Thank you my friend, I hope that it will remain so in the future!
The little bee looks as if he is wearing shades, haha.
Nature's own shades my friend!
Great photography, so many bees in nature all performing a wonderful dance in nature. Interesting to learn the apple farmers are trying their best to help them by using sprays that do not affect the bees.
Good news indeed Lady Joan and let's hope that farmers across the world would wake up to the benefits of doing things organically. For nature's sake!
Great photos of bumble bees.. I really enjoy watching them go from flower to flower and they really don't sting :)
Glad that you liked the photos and I hold the stingless ones in my hands. They are not the worry, but the stinging ones are! Nevertheless, I love them all and take photos even of the hives with the stinging ones in them!