Garden Wildlife : Bees
A semi-wild garden with wildflowers and grasses will be filled with bees!
On the day of this daily wildlife challenge, bees were active on foxgloves and fruit trees, down in the wild patches of nettles and green alkanet and amidst the hazelnut and other British native trees, including a willow that seems to be self-rooting and growing all over again!
But this bee on a poppy in a park was most engaging and active - on such a vibrant splash of colour!
Busy Bee : A bee enjoying the colours of Spring. |
There are many ways
to follow a bee…this bee poem does it beautifully!
The Humble-Bee
by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
BURLY, dozing
humble-bee,
Where thou art is
clime for me.
Let them sail for
Porto Rique,
Far-off heats
through seas to seek;
I will follow thee
alone,
Thou animated
torrid-zone!
Zigzag steerer,
desert cheerer,
Let me chase thy
waving lines;
Keep me nearer, me
thy hearer,
Singing over shrubs
and vines.
Insect lover of the
sun,
Joy of thy
dominion!
Sailor of the
atmosphere;
Swimmer through the
waves of air;
Voyager of light and
noon;
Epicurean of June;
Wait, I prithee,
till I come
Within earshot of
thy hum,—
All without is
martyrdom.
When the south wind,
in May days,
With a net of
shining haze
Silvers the horizon
wall,
And, with softness
touching all,
Tints the human
countenance
With a color of
romance,
And, infusing subtle
heats,
Turns the sod to
violets,
Thou, in sunny
solitudes,
Rover of the
underwoods,
The green silence
dost displace
With thy mellow,
breezy bass.
Hot midsummer's
petted crone,
Sweet to me thy
drowsy tone
Tells of countless
sunny hours,
Long days, and solid
banks of flowers;
Of gulfs of
sweetness without bound
In Indian
wildernesses found;
Of Syrian peace,
immortal leisure,
Firmest cheer, and
bird-like pleasure.
Aught unsavory or
unclean
Hath my insect never
seen;
But violets and
bilberry bells,
Maple-sap, and
daffodels,Follow
Grass with green
flag half-mast high,
Succory to match the
sky,
Columbine with horn
of honey,
Scented fern, and
agrimony,
Clover, catchfly,
adder's-tongue
And brier-roses,
dwelt among;
All beside was
unknown waste,
All was picture as
he passed.
Wiser far than human
seer,
Yellow-breeched
philosopher!
Seeing only what is
fair,
Sipping only what is
sweet,
Thou dost mock at
fate and care,
Leave the chaff, and
take the wheat.
When the fierce
northwestern blast
Cools sea and land
so far and fast,
Thou already
slumberest deep;
Woe and want thou
canst outsleep;
Want and woe, which
torture us,
Thy sleep makes
ridiculous.
For the #30dayswild post in 2016, Nature Challenge : Follow a Bee (which resulted in a watercolour illustration), click here.
More information about identifying common UK bees can be found at Woodland Trust.
More information about identifying common UK bees can be found at Woodland Trust.