At the corner of the house, there is a large hydrangea bush. Over the past few weeks, it has been putting on a magnificent display, with huge cones of flowers billowing over it. The flowers are much appreciated by a host of pollinators. The large, showy clusters of flowers mean that insects visiting the bush aren’t always conspicuous as they move from bloom to bloom. Rather, as you walk past the apparently-empty bush, you become aware of the hum of many insects at work. When you stop to look, it is clear that the bush is host to a small army of workers. Here are a few of the visitors.
The most conspicuous visitors are butterflies. Pictured above is a Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus), while below is a rather battered-looking Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma).
A few flies were among the visitors. The individual below may be a Greenbottle (Lucilia sp.).
The striped bottom shown here seems to be that of a Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata).
This yellow-striped bottom is probably that of an Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons).
I was happy to see quite a number of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).
This fuzzy bee, probably a Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) rounds out my roster of visitors. Undoubtedly, many others are also enjoying this bountiful hydrangea.
Willow House Chronicles 