Bees, pollen and flowers

The bees have been very happy since we inspected the hive last week! Hoping to install another brood box this week. Here I was filming and the bees are bringing in pollen three at a time. The first week I had the hive it took 5 mintues to see three bees with pollen.

 This hollyhock we planted last year, it did poorly, this year it is blooming. I would love to trade for some assorted hollyhock seeds? These old fashioned gardens full of hollyhocks really delight me.

 A day lily I have had for many years. I saw a honey bee hanging to the tips of the flower petals, no noticeable pollen on them.

 Yummy blackberries planted by the birds and pollinated by our bees. Not enough for cobbler yet.

 Pipevine Swallowtail on our summer phlox.

 One of my girls hard at work. They just started visiting the mountain mint on Wednesday.

  Honey bee on mountain mint with another honey bee on her way in.

 Honey bee on mountain mint.

 Pearl Crescent on the mountain mint.

This is our Mountain Mint patch, it is about 4 ft wide by 7 ft long. These plants were given to me by a friend who lives in the NC mountains from her garden. It will be full of bee, butterflies and wasps for the next three months!