Where my Dad was over in St. Pete yesterday was at a friend's woodworking workshop. There's a drainage ditch near the shop and the mosquitoes were bothering them real bad, especially around dusk and after dark when they're active. Well, my dad's other friend got some of those "doughnut" things they sell and crumbled a few in the water. So they were working late the other night and a guy from the county comes by from mosquito control. He looked all around and couldn't find any larvae! He said that area usually has five different kinds. It looks like those mosquito doughnuts worked well and Dad's friend told the county guy that's what he had used. He even put them in at a certain place so they would flow downstream. I thought it was good that the county worker was informed and could pass that knowledge along so other residents would know they work. If he had found mosquito larvae present, he was prepared to spray the area. I like those doughnuts because they only harm insects in the water, whereas those sprays can affect a lot more insects, including some of our beneficial insects!

yes.

http://garden.org/ideas/view/f...

Cool! Thanks for the tip!

Took a photo of my Helianthus microcephalus 'Lemon Queen' for a friend to show her how tall it's gotten this year, and then noticed a couple bees hanging out! Not the greatest photo, but just wanted to share--this is a perennial and it is an amazing bee magnet.



Here are a couple other photos from earlier in the summer:

Honey bee and Bumble Bee


Fly

Great shots, J!!

The honey bees have taken over the dogs' water bowl, they've been showing up every morning for about a month or so now and stay all day. It's hot and no rain. The dogs have a new water bowl.

Well, the butterflies were mostly being jerks today so I decided to take some bee photos instead. There were certainly enough of them around. If you feel like telling me what they are, that's cool. I do kind of want to know what the green guy is because I thought he was super neat. If no one knows, I'll post it on the Bug ID forum.

The bees were mainly on either my porterweed (the blue flowers) or the Spanish Needles (white daisy flowers). Spanish Needles are often seen as a weed down here, but they are one of the best nectar plants for butterflies, and apparently bees. They are also a host for the Dainty Sulphur butterfly. They're especially valuable in winter when not much else is blooming. Okay, let's enjoy some photos!



Look at those eyes! I kind of want to hug him.



Green guy!




Miscellaneous...



And as a bonus, you get these Damselfly photos! This is not me zooming in; it actually let me get that close to it. I took the picture of it with the shrub in the background so you could kind of see the color.



Also, if some of you could go out into the forum, there is a user looking for a bumblebee identification. I know a lot of us only look at the threads we're watching and not the forum as a whole so I wanted to make sure someone answered him. Thanks guys!

Love those green metallic aviators...I used to know the name, but alas, it remains reluctant to materialize.

The green guy is a sweat bee, Agapostemon probably.
Damselflies.

I've got enough sweat for all the bees today! It's actually not very hot today, but it's so humid. Even this morning I was soaking. Dad just checked a few minutes ago and the actual temp was 84 but the heat index was 94. #ReadyForFall

They cute big eyed one is probably a hoverfly. It looks like it only has one set of wings, which is a good way to tell the difference between bees and flies. Bees and wasps have four wings. Flies have only two wings.

The ones on the porterweed are honeybees. In the next 2 photos of the spanish needle I believe that is a fly -- you can tell by the eyes.
Here's a great tutorial on telling the difference between bees, wasps, & flies.
https://www.greatsunflower.org...

Oh, I think we cross posted Ann.

wildflowers said:They cute big eyed one is probably a hoverfly. It looks like it only has one set of wings, which is a good way to tell the difference between bees and flies. Bees and wasps have four wings. Flies have only two wings.

Yes, and the antennae are strikingly stubby
thanks for another great link Ann!

nice photos Melanie, love the green metallic bee

Dirt.

I'm learning all sorts of things today! Thanks, everyone!