It's the Bee's Knees

That was an old fashioned expression that meant something was really cool. Or, in the current jargon, 'sick'.

But here, it means the bees are hard at work. Sue N. took this great shot of a bee gathering pollen in one of Carol's hollyhocks.

Before you go, "Ew... a yucky bee," you should pause and reflect. One third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees, especially the domesticated European honey bee. Fuzzy bees, like this, carry a mild electrostatic charge, which helps the pollen stick to them. From time to time, the bee will pause and pack the pollen into the scopa, or pollen baskets, on their legs or abdomens.

Bees are famous for their 'dances' on the hive, which let other bees know what direction and how far to fly to find the best food source. Bees make honey -- not just sweet and wonderful on toast or in tea with lemon, but also with strong antibacterial properties. Bees ensure that the wildflowers and fruit trees get pollinated.

They are struggling globally, with too much pesticide and insecticide and monoculture agriculture. We're happy to have these enjoying the flowers in our organic garden, floating about in our fields and forests, doing what bees were meant to do.

And literally rolling in the pollen! This is a wonderful shot of the pollen sticking to the bee and being carefully packed into the pollen baskets, to be taken home to the hive and fed to the young bees! (Not to mention a great shot of the bee's knees poked out to the sides as she packs on the pollen!)

Thanks for sharing the photo with us Sue!