stingless native bees – bushboys world

This is August 2019

Published on September 5, 2019 by bushboy46 Comments

I am not really in the mood to write. The dry continued for all of August so my mood wasn’t all that enthusiastic to gather images around my place. I posted quite a number of images from here and for the photo challenges over the month and I haven’t, as usual, added them to this months wrap.

I am heartened by the caring responses from my “blog family” to my posts. Thank you for being there.

August was my first month of being the Thursday Ragtag prompter sharing with Tracy. I was surprised at the number of people who responded with some great photos, writing and poetry.

OK lets go. I think you may need to go to the dunny and come back with a cup of tea/coffee or drink of choice, perhaps a snack or two depending on the time of day you are here.

I might start with some of the things I found at an auction which I didn’t know was happening. I was going to the farmers market for breakfast and a bit of food shopping.
One of the things I like to find and collect are boxes. Pity these were already sold or if they weren’t the auctioneer was a long way from this lot

A rather random group of items
Anyone have one of these at home?
Up the road a ways is the town of Kyogle. We go there at least once a year in case something may be happening. On this day it was just us and the tumble weeds lol There is some nice gates though.
I was surprised by the number and variety of flowers in peoples garden as we walked about the back streets

The bees were about too

I think this Salvia is called Hot Lips

I love this salvia

More flowers for you to enjoy

The grevilleas are quite outstanding this year, except at my place

A lovely window box of daisies
These flowers were further north near a town called Murwillumbah where we went following the Mud Trail which was along the North Cost highlighting the pottery skills of the potters around here.
My begonias are flowering but not as profusely as in previous years
I was down at the waterhole digging out the silt to make the waterhole back to what it was years ago. While I was there I walked about and found this native plant about to flower despite the lack of rain and soil moisture
A black and white view of Kyogle from the Art Gallery

The lovely layers of blue you get from the vapours of Eucalypt trees

The bees are out collecting pollen and nectar from the flowers
Look how full the pollen sacks are on the tiny Native Stingless Bee
While we were away for a few days we came across the flower gardens that had just been watered in Nelson Bay

I love finding cats in windows. This one was just moving on just as I saw it.

Oh well a cats tail is still OK
I just love this cows hair cut
Down at the waterhole, the place where there has always been water on my place. This year it was the lowest I have ever seen it but the birds know where it is and flock there to get a drink or a bath. Time to get in……….
…..and out again
The Fuscous Honeyeaters seem to stay down this part of my place and don’t venture up near the house.
A Red-browed Firetail gets a drink

The whole flock of Fuscous Honeyeaters suddenly turned up much to the astonishment of a White-throated Honeyeater
Remember last month I told the story of the Willie Wagtails nest that was destroyed by something. Well they found a spot on the car port to rebuild their nest
The Willie Wagtails really can’t stand the Magpie getting close to their nest. Incoming!!!

They really give the Magpie a hard time until it goes away
The Welcome Swallows are also nesting at my besties
Here is three of the four chicks in the nest. Aren’t their fluffy heads adorable?
The Little Friarbirds have found the grevilleas
An Olive-backed Oriel dropped into the birdbath for a while
I found these Pelicans at the Lismore Waste Facility – a fancy name for the rubbish dump
I felt for the birds and have put up a feeder which I put seed in every now and then. The King Parrots drop in for a snack when there is seed in there.
The Brown Honeyeater has to stretch a bit
The Double-barred Finches are enjoying the grass seed
While we were travelling around we dropped into a small wetland that is surrounded by farm land. I was surprised to see a Black Swan paddling about.
At the wast facility the Black Kites are always wheeling about.

I love seeing the flocks of Ibis as they fly over my besties place every afternoon on their way to their roost.
These Corellas loved it up a bit in Nelson Bay
Is there anything a happy as an Australian Raven skipping down the hill
Our Moon and the clouds
Almost time for sunset
At this time of year the sun sets just on the hill
OK then, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your look at my This is August 2019

Also for Su’s Changing Seasons

Getting close with bees

Published on September 2, 2019 by bushboy21 Comments

Another double photo challenge with photos of bees taken on the weekend.

First we have the Weekly Prompts Photo Challenge: Close
and there is Sunshine’s Macro Monday

I must start of mentioning Sue from Nan’s farm who I have had a conversation or two about macro photography. Sue is also one of the hosts of the Weekly Prompts. Sue gave me a mention in her post on Close which did inspire me to get a couple of bee photos. Have a look what Sue said on her Nan’s Farm Close post.

OK, lets get a bit close with some Bees which also follows my theme so far for Sunshine’s Macro Monday.

The Rocket flowers at my besties has been a magnet for the bees over the past few weeks
190902_blog_challenge_close_honey_bee_close
Not only honey bees but the tiny Stingless Native Bees as well 190902_blog_challenge_close_stingless_native_bee
It is always a challenge to get some bee flying action. Patience and a steady gaze on the bees and the flowers and shoot.

All of the photos were taken sitting in the chair having morning tea in the garden. I used the telephoto function of my Canon PowerShot SX70HS set on Auto. A bit of cropping using Corel PaintShop Pro 2019

The Bee

Published on August 19, 2019 by bushboy15 Comments

Sunshines Macro Monday – 5

I am keeping with my plant theme for a bit longer – flower, leaf, bark (with a spiders web) and water drops. So now a Stingless Native Bee. These bees are about 5mm in size so just perfect for Macro Monday. I think the pollen sacks are full

native bee_flying_hybiscus_close_home_jan2012

Busy

Published on July 4, 2019 by bushboy7 Comments

The Weekly Word Prompt from Sue: Busy

Who is busier than a Bee?

Stingless Native Bees on a Crocus

I can’t remember this flower but the Bee is enjoying it

I am thinking this may be a Fireweed flower which the bees like
The flowers of a Tuckeroo tree which has the bees buzzing when it flowers
Another Fireweed flower

and for a bit of fun

Size

Published on June 9, 2019 by bushboy28 Comments

Here is Debbies One Word Sunday: Size
Some of the things I have been contemplating on contributing for OWS perhaps can also be some of my Favourite Things as Patti from Ragtag asked.
Perhaps some of the small things in my world should be a start. The feature photo is a Scarlet Honeyeater, the smallest honeyeater and a red jewel that flashes through my garden and the forest.

I love having Stingless Native Bees in my garden

and of course Blue-banded Bees scrunching into flowers
All of the tiny native flowers that abound on my place

I have to include some big things too. Kookaburras are always hunting in the garden and waking me with their morning song

Overhead one of the Square-tailed Kite family soars
While in the garden, a Red-necked Wallaby snacks on the Honey Gem Grevillea

The trees of the forest that surround are the big

Now a warning for those who have a thing about spiders – there is one in the next image

Isn’t she a beauty. She lived in my laundry for a Summer and then came into the lounge and dining rooms for Winter last year. I think she became bored of my company and headed outside.

This is May 2019

Published on June 3, 2019 by bushboy29 Comments

Here we are to have a look at my May. I didn’t take many photos to add to this post that I haven’t already shared in some of the photo challenges I contributed to in May. Again the rainfall at my place was very sparse but some of the Australian Native plants had some flowers which received a water from the dwindling water supply in my dam. I have been trying to ensure that most plants in the garden survive by a bit of water every couple of days, hoping I can harden them off for Winter. The weather has been quite warm during the day – mid twenties and the nights were in the low teens so I think some plants may be a bit confused with warm Autumn days.

I don’t think you will need supplies to have a scroll through This is May 2019

Let’s get hopping
I don’t seem to take many photos of Kangaroos, so when some were in a nearby paddock when I was out, I just had to grab a photo. This male was quite wary of my and I made sure I didn’t venture too close as he may have thought I was a threat to his female and joey

The She Oaks or Casurinas with the seed pods and hanging leaves caught my eye as I was walking on my place.
A small shower of rain and the mosses and lichens appeared
My besties place had so much rain it didn’t seem fair. It did make for some great photo opportunities. The water drops like jewels on the spiders web one morning.
One afternoon the sunset lit up everything. The Bottlebrush flowers just seem to glow

May was the last huge flowering of the lovely red Hibiscus in the garden

The sunset, a leaden sky and a red flowering gum.

The tiny Stingless Native Bees loved the Echinacea flowers. Look how full her pollen sacs are!

The little Grass Dart Butterfly was almost hidden among the flowers

The Eggfly Butterflies love the Zinnias

As did the bees
Water drops on leaves is a must photo opportunity
One foggy morning, the old shed on the property next door looked quite spooky
While walking about my place, I heard just one slight screech and the sound of crunching. I finally saw the Glossy Black Cockatoos in the She Oak enjoying a snack of seeds high up in the tree.
While further down the track, the Bowerbirds have made a new Bower decorated with blue stuff from all around the neighbourhood. Perhaps a blue peg of mine has gone missing but the rest of the treasures I don’t know where they came from.
Every afternoon at my besties, there is a fly over of Cattle Egrets and Ibis as they head off to roost
Most days the Wedged-tailed Eagles are riding the currents high in the sky
A great first for me was finding a small flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins as we drove down a lane near my besties. They certainly had a good selection of seeds to choose from.

Bare trees and sunset is another must try and get a photo opportunity.

Speaking of sunsets, May had so many wonderful sunsets I had to whittle down the pile into just a few. The red tinged grey clouds looked wonderful
Some sunsets were orange

Some sunsets had could formations I have never seen before. They were like lumps hanging below the other clouds

A grass seed and subset, who could resist
Sunset…….bare trees………the black and red won me over.

OK here we are at the end. See I told you it was a short month compared to the mammoth efforts you ave gone through in previous months.
Thanks for taking time to have a look at my world.
Did you have a favourite photo?

World Bee Day

Published on May 20, 2019 by bushboy37 Comments

Toady, May 20, is World Bee Day

I thought you may like to see a few Bee photos for #WorldBeeDay

Silent Sunday

Published on May 12, 2019May 10, 2019 by bushboy8 Comments

native bee_close3_murraya paniculata flowers_home feb 2012

Busy

Published on April 18, 2019 by bushboyLeave a comment

The Ragtag Daily Word Prompt Wednesday: Busy

What could more busy than a bee or two.

A Carpenter Bee in among some Cassia flowers
Of course I have to include my favourite Blue-banded Bee scrunching into a Blue Ginger flower
and this busy fellow from almost a year ago buzzing about a Lilli Pilli flower
One of my all time favourite bee photo, a Stingless Native Bee cuddling a Water Lily flower