Sharing a Cone (Flower)

Jul 14, 2010

It's fun seeing little children sharing a cone...an ice cream cone.

But have you ever seen a bumble bee and honey bee sharing a cone (coneflower)?

Such was the case this morning at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, the  half-acre bee friendly garden located next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road at the University of California, Davis.

Around 9:30, a yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) and a honey bee (Apis mellifera) buzzed in to forage among the coneflowers.

The coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), also known as the Eastern purple coneflower or purple conflower, generates a lot of insect excitement. Metallic sweat bees, bumble bees, honey bees and butterflies all try to claim a spot atop this petals-down, cone-up flower, a carnival ride at rest. 

Meanwhile, officials are gearing up for the grand opening celebration of the garden, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 11. The garden is a year-around food source for bees and other pollinators, and an educational experience for visitors.

And a meeting place for a bumble bee and a honey bee.


By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Author - Communications specialist

Attached Images:

BUMBLE BEE and a honey bee share a coneflower  (Echinacea purpurea) at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven.  (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Coneflower

YELLOW-FACED bumble bee and a honey bee circle a coneflower at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two Visitors

TOUCHING--A bumble bee touches a honey bee on a coneflower at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Touching

YELLOW-FACED bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) emerges the victor on the coneflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Victory