Bombus and the Columbine

[Cindi]

I grow Columbine (Aquilega), the blue species.  It is very pretty.  I have found that deadheading these plant flowers prolongs the blooming period probably about one month.  One year I did an experiment and did not deadhead the plants and they only bloomed for perhaps one month's time.  If deadheaded, they seem to bloom forever.  The bombus love the Columbine, the honeybees apparently have no interest.

I have columbine that grow alongside beautiful metalic blue, dwarf, wind tolerant delphiniums.  The delphiniums overlap with the columbine and the two shades of blue are astounding.  It has been raining for about 3 days now, so I do not know the condition of the delphiniums and if they are totally upright.  Sometimes the flower heads are so heavy rain knocks them down.  If the sun shines tomorrow I shall take pictures to show you all, my friends on this forum.

Last night my daughter's little pitbull (who is my working partner outside with the weeds and sticks), was outside all by himself and must have been really bored.  I saw him tearing through my main vegetable garden (which has a fence around it, by the way, obviously too short for him). I saw him coming from the northern part, and I know that is where the main delphinium/columbine garden is.  So I went out to give the little ?????? crap for being where he shouldn't be (right, dog's language, blah, blah, blah).  He ran right through one of the delphinium bushes...Hmmmm...probably some irreversible damage.  But oh well, consider it a natural pruning  :roll:.

I believe all my issues with the timeout gateway have been resolved, turned out to be a very simple little thing that my husband did.  He got really fed up with me b______ about the darned computer and not being able to post pictures and posts properly and spent some time looking at stuff.  Fixed....obviously, no timeout and I can send pictures. Watch out, pictures and stories coming your way, my friends.  Have a wonderful day, great life and love that life you're livin'. Take note of the length of the tongue of the bumblee.  No wonder they can pollinate the flowers/crops that the honeybee cannot!!!!  Cindi

[rdy-b]

talented Proboscis one of lifes littel wonders. :lol:

[Cindi]

Isn't it too bad that the bombus do not make colonies as large as what api mellifera do, then the entire world of pollination could have these but little bumblebees that will go out even just after the sun comes up and carry on til the sun is down, they even fly in the not of nicest weathers.  Sticking their long tongues deep into the depths of the nectaries of the flowers!!!!  Yeah!!!!Good for these cute little critters.  Have a wonderful day, great life, love this life we're livin'.  Cindi

[rdy-b]

They work especaly well in hot house and green house pollination. honey bees are atracted to the light and keep bouncing off the glass or plastic paneles. much like a window.but the bumble bee has no concern for anything but the taske of pollination.to bad they only make ounces of honey. not suppers full of the rippen neactar we all seek.  ;)