Juniper Hairstreak on Mountain Mint

The main reason I planted mountain mint in the garden was too attract hairstreaks. Today in the sweltering heat I found one of my favorite hairstreaks in the mountain mint patch a Juniper Hairstreak. The patch was covered in bumble bees and wasps, no honey bees anywhere, must be something better out there for them. I also have Apple Mint going strong with bumble bees and wasps, no honey bees.

This photo was painstakingly taken with my Canon G11, you have to get the light on the hairstreak just righ,t or in this bright sun it the hairstreak comes out dark with none of the cool details. This one is super fresh, they dull up and loose most of the red in a short period of time.

Last even when I got home is was 101 degrees (39c) and the bees had quite the beard going. Look inside the hive barely any space for bees to come and go.

I know they are getting water somewhere. The hive is next to the pond, no active drinking going on there. We have a water feature by the driveway, a few bees have been seen there, but none lately. The pond down the hill and through the woods I have seen bees but none when I rescued the goat in the heat. They do however come and drink when we are watering the garden, a few at a time. I can no longer keep the sugar feeder filled they empty in in hours now.

Today they have said the temps might reach 104, it has never been hotter than 105 here according the the weather mans records on the triangle area.