Which pollinators have you seen in your garden today?

[Meadowlark]

 

[Gemma]

@Gemma Here is a nice table that summarizes the differences between bees and wasps followed by a couple of charts illustrating those differences. Hope this helps.

Feature	Bees	Wasps
Body	Fuzzy, rounded	Smooth, narrow waist
Diet	Nectar & pollen	Nectar (adults), insects (larvae)
Role	Major pollinators	Pest control predators
Aggression	Low unless provoked	Often high, especially near food
Stinging	Once (honey bees)	Multiple times
Nest	Wax comb	Paper or mud

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I have both , hopefully the wasps know I'm the garden keeper and will not sting me even once
I appreciate you taking your time to post this. Thank you!

 

[Meadowlark]

I have both , hopefully the wasps know I'm the garden keeper and will not sting me even once
I appreciate you taking your time to post this. Thank you!

In my experience, when it comes to stinging they could care less...be careful.

 

[roadrunner]

It's raining here, all I see are hummingbirds and bees or wasps (don't know the difference)

Yesterday I saw a hummingbird chase away all the swallowtail butterflies away from "his" Firebush. Mean little birds

 

[Meadowlark]

Hyperactive bees today ahead of Tropical Storm...

 

[Meadowlark]

Skippers and Giant Swallowtail...

 

[Meadowlark]

American Ladies on display...

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Bee fly

Peck's skipper

 

[Meadowlark]

 

[Meadowlark]

Showy Swallowtails...

 

[Xraycer]

 

[Meadowlark]

What happens to butterflies and bees during a Hurricane/Tropical Storm?

Reason I ask is I just went through one.

Interestingly, I found about as many butterflies and bees after the storm as seen before the storm. Seems impossible. Wind gusts were recorded at 90 mph.

Research says they hide where they can wherever they can find protection. Incredible to me they can survive, but somehow they do.

Today, as many bees as usual...

Also today, like nothing just happened, the butterflies out in numbers...

 

[Sheal]

Many insects will find cover in the ground or crevices in brickwork, footpaths and tightly foliaged plants. Birds in the same situation will find protection around or in buildings and low, well leafed branches in trees or shrubs. Or even going to ground underneath them.

 

[Meadowlark]

Many insects will find cover in the ground or crevices in brickwork, footpaths and tightly foliaged plants. Birds in the same situation will find protection around or in buildings and low, well leafed branches in trees or shrubs. Or even going to ground underneath them.

Yes, I can see bees and small insects finding crevices, etc. but many of these swallowtails are not small creatures

Some of these butterflies are 6 inches across wingspan. With their huge wings and light weight and delicate bodies...just don't see how they can possibly survive hurricane force winds...but they did.

 

[Sheal]

I hadn't thought about your larger butterflies Meadowlark but they obviously find somewhere to shelter.