More flowers and bees in McCarthy Woods

The weather was suppose to be poor this weekend, so when I saw some sunny breaks this afternoon, I quickly grabbed my camera and headed to McCarthy Woods to take some photos.

I saw more Trout-lilies (Erythronium americanum) in flower.

I also saw many bees flying around, and most were Andrena bees (Andrena sp.).


An Andrena resting/sunning on a leaf.

Since trout-lilies are the predominant flowering species at the moment, they are frequently visited by bees.  But the downward floral orientation provides a challenge for the bees.

This bee was trying to get into the flower even though it had not opened yet.

I spent at least 15 minutes photographing this bee on the flower.  The process looks exhausting as the bee was trying to hang onto the stamens with its legs while sticking the tongue as far down to the nectary as possible.

The bee exited the flower and rested on the petal for a while before going back in again.


For some reason, I think of flowers as beautiful ballet dancers soaring in the forest with her arms open wide.


Close-up on the trout-lily.


So beautiful.

Saw this trio of Sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) on the forest floor.


The blue kind of hepatica (Anemone sp.).  I didn't check the leaves, so I am not sure if it's sharp- or round-lobed.  For some reason, the female reproductive part in the lower flower was almost absent.


This is what a normal flower should look like.

Saw this caterpillar hanging from a tree before I put it on a tree.

While walking out of the forest, I saw another new flowering species of the year - Spring beauty (Claytonia sp.).  There are two species in Ontario - C. caroliniana (leaves tapering at the base to a short stalk) and C. virginica (stalkless leaves), and I didn't check the leaves so I cannot be certain which one these are.

Spring beauty visited by a Nomada bee

Close-up on its beautiful pink stamens, and this is a good example of nectar guide on the petals (pink stripes guiding insects to the nectar).

Lovely day.