Gaudy Commodore Butterfly An African Bee
Butterflies, bees and flowers enjoyed while wandering around in the bush experiencing vibrant colour enough to excite anyone who loves the outdoors. Fully understanding their purpose baffles us till be grow older.
African bees visit indigenous and exotic flowers for their pollen and nectar, that honey must taste great my first thought! Honey farmers are able to tell you exactly which flowers have been pollinated by the taste of honey, similar to wine or cheese tasting, it is different from region to region.
Small animals indeed, working meticulously pollinating up to seven thousand flowers per day, often overlooked when larger animal life is around. Yet it is some of the smallest we rely on the most, how can we help the 7 bee species that are honeybees? (Not all bees are honeybees of the twenty-thousand species in the world).
South Africa is home to two sub-species or races of honeybees which are indigenous to the country: Apis mellifera Scutellata (or “African bee”) and Apis mellifera Capensis (or “Cape bee”). The Cape bee is generally confined to the western and southern Cape regions particularly referred to as the Fynbos region running in an imaginary line between Vredendal on the western Atlantic coastline across to Willowvale on the eastern Indian Ocean coastline. The African bee covers the region to the north of this area although there is hybrid zone overlapping the two regions where A.m. capensis and A.m. scutellata hybridize. Source: https://www.sabio.org.za/beecon/
Gaudy Commodore Butterfly arrived to enjoy the wild red flower, one I have only seen up in this region, growing in damp patches of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park.
Butterfly identification not a positive identification, the flower I have absolutely no idea, any suggestions, please put in the comments below.
Pollinators in our world, around our homes we should be take great care avoiding use of insecticides, pesticides any other materials that may be harmful.
Without our little pollinator animals certain nutritious foods would disappear, like fruits, some vegetables, seeds, nuts, not to mention our beautiful flowers some are edible.
Let's consider the loss of first 5 that come to mind, strawberries, apples, almonds, cocoa and coffee a good place to start. Imagine not waking up in the morning to that coffee each day.
Planting a variety of indigenous flowers or trees in your garden will invite the pollinators to visit, finding plants that flower at different times of the year will assist animals, pollinators are not only made up of butterflies and bees, there are bats, birds, beetles, moths assisting plants reproduce.
When visiting wildlife areas please don't pick the flowers, leave them to thrive in the area keeping nature balanced.
Teach the children, bees do not attack, more often than not when are out we carry sweets or juice that attract bees to investigate, normally fly off once the food source has been sniffed out as not suitable. Parents over react "Bee it's going to sting" normal response, in doing this they teach children to kill bees, sometimes being stung for their efforts.
I have yet to be stung by a honey bee, wasps yes, and it hurts, again unintentionally on the part of the wasp, being near a nest at the wash-line it had landed under the arm, putting the arm down the wasp stung (several times) now I know to be on the look out when they are in town.
No-one over reacts to butterflies, giving them free reign to roam a garden, try teaching the same to everyone about the bees that do land in kitchens to find fresh water or pollinate in-door flowers, let them go about their business, they will find their own way out.
Watch where you walk, typical bush you clambering through enabling a closer view of animals, thorns may be the least of your worries. An idea of landscape these lovely flowers present themselves.
Thought for Today:
“Enjoy the little things in life because one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
** Animal Photography : Canon PowerShot SX730 HS used throughout, sizing adjusted in GIMP no further adjustments made, re-sizing is a must on our slow internet connection. Where indicated larger view is offered.
Animal Sunday Photography My Contibution @homeartpictures
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!steemitworldmap -28.1232 lat 32.5564 long Gaudy Commodore Butterfly and African Bee - Isimangaliso Wetlands Park D3SCR
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