jmorth said:Thanks, he was moving away rather swiftly.
I don't think I've seen such a shade of red in any dragons around here. When you say 'new', what do you mean ?

The red is what caught my eye, new meaning I added another hosta bed, with an additional 12 hostas.

Today's Garden Guest

Ohhhhhhh...

Char, you have to tell them it's a Giant Swallowtail. Educate the people!

By the way, I'm out of the hurricane's path as I live in the suburbs of Tampa. So no worries. It is giving me headaches, though. Darn you changing barometric pressure!

Mellie, our thoughts are with you and all of the folks in Florida. Above all, be safe.

We're fine! About to eat Dad's spaghetti. It's the East Coasters I worry about. The news is saying the hotels are full from all the people coming to our side of Florida. Speaking of which, I'm taking a mental health vacation next week. I'm going to a luxury hotel and you know I have some nature activities planned. It's a surprise, though, so you have to wait until next week! I'm not leaving the state, though.

Checked the backyard around 10 AM this morning, no activity. Went back out at mid day and found some bee activity on the Autumn Fire Sedum. Got a quick shot of a bumble bee before it disappeared:
Note proboscis.
A carpenter bee was next on the scene:


Then a couple of bumble bees arrived/returned:
A proboscis again.


Does the bee above have a orange mustache?

Great balance!
Then it was time to checkout the images on the new monitor.

Oh my goodness, Marsrover! I love all of your bee photos. Besides being amazing, they're full of personality. That bee with an orange mustache sure is handsome. And that last picture looks like the bee is drinking from one bloom but has dibs on the next one!

wildflowers said:That be with an orange mustache sure is handsome.

Here be another image of your heartthrob:

Looks like a good hugger.

So furry! I want to hug them, but they wouldn't like that. So I'll plant flowers instead to keep them happy! And put up my bee box whenever this weather passes.

Check out the banner, everyone! It's @dirtdorphins picture of the bee with the blue pollen!

I am kinda surprised they are running that one---not the best banner even if it is a cool bee with blue pollen
I think it's been blue flower week or something like that--haven't all the banners been blue lately?
Glad you're sheltered from the storm Melanie

Dirt, you are not allowed to use the emoji! Not for your wonderful pictures! Take a compliment! The blue bee is awesome!

Now that you mention it, we have had at least 3-4 days of blue flower banners. Hmm...

Many good bee/dahlia and Dew Drop Inn pics to post -

Dang, Jack! You're getting good! Real good. Too good...

Either that or you can now communicate with the bees and get them to hold still!

Thanks Mellie, and also for the acorn. I think I'm regaining enough feelings in my right hand to hold the camera steady. During the summer I had carpal and corporal (I think that's the word) tunnel surgery, all 4 right hand fingers were going or gone numb. The surgeon said the feelings would be perceivable at a steady pace from the top (inside, above the elbow) to the fingertips. It was weird. Anyway, thanks for the complement.

Glad to hear your hand is doing better! My Dad suffers from Dupuytren's Contracture and has had surgery eight times (four on each hand) so I understand. His hand surgeon marked his file VIP and he doesn't even charge him copays anymore. I really like all the in-flight shots you're getting. I rarely even try because it turns out badly.

Other guests...

Housebreaker Toad casing a storage cubical of my sister's.



Flies, 3 kinds -

These Blue Bottom Flies are twice the other flies size...


3 different grasshoppers -



Green Bee - Another bee-like >

mellielong said: Speaking of which, I'm taking a mental health vacation next week. I'm going to a luxury hotel and you know I have some nature activities planned. It's a surprise, though, so you have to wait until next week! I'm not leaving the state, though.

Oh come on Mellie!! Not even a teensy weensy hint?

Not much to share today, pretty busy right now...

<--I loved his greyish blue eyes, so I forgave him for eating one of the Thread-waisted wasps
<-- Not a bug but thought somebody might like to see the very wide Susquehanna River from my car window.
<-- I live Northeast of that red dot called Lancaster