Saturday, June 9, 2012

Phacelia in bloom

Purple Phacelia tanacetifolia in bloom
It's 67oF in the bee shelter, overcast, wet, probably drizzling today.  The bees are mostly sitting in their tunnels waiting for warmer weather.
From the "Raspberries wide view" preset, I can zoom in on these purple flowers in bloom in the road next to the black raspberry vines.  Looks like Phacelia tanacetifolia to me.  Don probably planted it as part of a project with the Xerces Society and the NRCS to create plantings to attract bees to the farm.  Phacelia is one of the most attract bee plants around.  I have quite a bit in my yard, and it is always humming with bees - honey bees, bumble bees, sweat bees, miner bees and more.  With black raspberries finishing their bloom,  this plant will help the bees increase their reproduction for the year.  I hope they don't detract from pollination of other raspberry varieties.   I'm not sure what are the thin, grass-like inflorescences. 
Bees in at least 3 tunnel entrances

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