The lupines are coming, the lupines are comng!

Lupines are one of my favorite native plants. The blossoms are a delicate purple color. And they attract many butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

I'm delighted that lupines are blooming in two places in Buhr park. One is the sand prairie in the upper (north) basin of WM II, on the west side of the park behind the swimming pool.

The other is in the original Wet Meadow, at the base of the sledding hill, on the east side of the park.

Here are a few shots of pollinators in action!

Tickle Bees at Buhr - April 2017

This was a good year for tickle bees at Buhr. These bees nest in the ground, in the upper basin behind the swimming pool. We call them tickle bees because they are harmless to humans. The ones we see on sunny days in April are males, cruising at about 12 inches above the ground, looking for partners.Fun fact: male bees have no stingers.

Here's some info from a school in Oregon:
     http://www.sabinpta.com/tickle-bee

Our tickle bees are probably in the genus, Colletes.They are also called, "cellophane bees" since they line their nests with a cellophane-like substance.