Quick post about past week - mostly pollinators

Long story short, I am heading to St. Louis this weekend to participate in a pollination field course in Missouri Botanical Garden. Before I leave, I had many many things to do. Most of the more important tasks are done now, and now onto posting photos and blog writing about what I did since last Friday.

2012/04/07

I biked to Jackson Park hoping it would be nice and pretty by now.

Unfortunately not. The lake/pond is still really low and the trees are just producing buds.


I biked along the path hoping to see some birds but came up short. The path ended shortly due to maintenance. Here's me heading back.


While heading back, I heard a buzzing sound. Looking up on the willow tree, I saw Apis mellifera (Western honey bees) collecting pollen from the male flowers.




There were other pollinators there as well, such as this fly. It was too high up on the tree for me to take a macro shot.


Cute bee.


Look at the pollen collected around its legs!

2012/04/08

Went to school on Sunday to do some work. Around 4pm, I went out to look for some birds and insects. It was an incredibly windy day and this was the only bee I found on the flowers.

Think this is a sweat bee.


Finding shelter behind a stick.


Abandoned farm building.

2012/04/11

It was quite cold this day (it was hailing pea-sized ice in the afternoon), and on my way to school, I spotted this wasp not moving too much on the concrete.

Heading to Guelph tonight to meet up with people tomorrow morning so that we can embark on the road trip to St. Louis, Missouri. Hope to take lots of photos and learn a lot for the next two weeks.