Bees, hidden hunters and 40 days shift.

So much work and so little time.
Did you know that a bee (regular one, not a queen) lives only for about 40 days? And all she does in that time (all worker bees are a "she" by the way) is work, work, work. Flower after flower. Gardens, meadows, fields and forests.

All day.

Every day!

Until she dies.

Not a very pleasant vision but only thanks to this the bee colony can prepare for winter and survive on the stash they manage to collect until spring and the first blooming flowers. If they don't have enough honey store - they all will die together with the Queen bee.

This flower is done, hop to another one.

The bee (can't remember now if it was one that I was talking or a few) you see here was shot at my mums garden on ruccola (arugula) flower last fall.
The whole plot was filled with the small yellow and white flowers since the herb just keeps growing, produces seeds and spreads like mad on it's own.

But that's good. That means fresh greens for the whole year round until the frost kills them later in the year.
And plenty of flowers for insects to feed on.

But don't think it's all fun and easy. Among all the flowers are hidden predators that just wait for a clumsy bee to get close and be their next meal.
Can you see him?





How about now? :)
A nice and very well camouflaged little spider.





5 done...
Thousands to go!