Sunday, June 2, 2013

Bees at Le Ripe

an Embarassment of Bees


I once read an article in the New York Times about a young entomologist doing research in northwestern Mongolia. He was carrying out comparative research on plants and pollinators, and sang the praises of the wide variety of bees in that part of the world. As I read, I wondered idly why the student had to go all the way to northern Mongolia, which may not be the easiest nor the most comfortable place in the world to carry out fieldwork. So I wrote a letter to the newspaper suggesting that the young researcher visit us at Le Ripe instead. He could have a pleasant stay in a beautiful, historically interesting environment and study our very own wide variety of bees and pollinators to his heart's content. Of course I received no reply, but am now taking this opportunity to propose to any entomologists or bee-lovers out there that Le Ripe would be an ideal base for the study of these fascinating, industrious insects. Look what we have to offer:


earth bumblebee on savory



carpenter bee on phlomis flower

carpenter bee getting into nitty gritty

bumblebee: note different coloured stripes


earth bumble bee on nepeta flower

 

abseiling bee
- big thanks to our guest Su for these wonderful photos


bee on thyme flowers




...and many thanks to A.A Milne

Update February 2014:
See this story on the decline in the bumblebee population in Great Britain, possibly linked to the decline of the honeybee there.

1 comment:

  1. I adore, especially, the abseiling bee. But altogether a charming and witty post; and Su's photos are brilliant.

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