Well, I'll Bee, Joe

They say better late than never, but I am too often late and too seldom better.

When I go out to water both the potted and the volunteer petunias along with other plants in the evening, I notice many bees around our prodigious joe pye (Eutrochium ) plant. It really is a big plant, standing fence high and loaded with blooms. (If I think to take a picture, I'll post it at the end.)

The bees were all over the thing, flitting quickly from one petal to the next. I decided to take a picture, but they were flitting so fast that I couldn't track them and focus in time.

This was the best that I could do. Actually as I look again, it isn't that bad, but the bee is not tack sharp, which is what one wants.

As time passed, I must have gone out to do the watering a lit later, or maybe it was just darkening earlier, I noticed many bees being very quietly on the plant and not flitting furiously. Thinking that might have a chance to get a better photo, a few nights later, I set out with my macro lens and a flash.

Dang it all, I was thwarted again. They were now few in number and those few were flitting again. Sigh.

I did get a few photos that I don't like better than the one above. They are somewhat sharper, but the flash is harsh.

The joe pye, at least at this stage, is almost spent and is not attractive. I did attempt to blur it a bit in this this more cropped version of the same photo as above.

I have two other photos to share. They're not terrible, but they sure aren't noteworthy either.

Do bees like Mums? I don't know. I will have to keep an eye on the newly purchased pots.

Oh, I did remember to photograph the joe pye. It's a big-un, a perennial that grows from nothing to this size every year. This impresses me because it must begin anew from under the ground every year. I do find it remarkable, and the bees do like it, even if they won't stay still for a photo. But perhaps you can see why it might be difficult to get a prime photo under the circumstances.