Subject: [Tweeters] Rufus hummingbird vs a queen bumblebee
Date: May 6 21:13:52 2012
From: Rob Sandelin - nwnature1 at gmail.com


It was a lazy afternoon, weeding the garden, which for me is plucking a few
weeds, then sitting quietly and seeing what's going on at ground level. I
was watching a big fat queen bumblebee ramble over a patch of Pulmonaria
when a bright Rufus Hummingbird showed up. The bird and bee coexisted for
about a minute on opposite sides of the flower patch then the bird flew
right at the bee, which zoomed away leaving the nectar for the bird. After
a bit the bee, or another just like it, returned and cautiously started
working over the far side of the Pulmonaria patch. This time there was no
doubt, the hummingbird zipped right at the bee, chasing it slightly even,
before it returned and perched. The bee did not return, at least before I
fell asleep on the lawn.



As a side note, if you find bees interesting, I am doing a program for the
Pilchuck Audubon on Friday, at 7pm in Everett. You can find out details on
their website.



Rob Sandelin

Naturalist, Writer, Teacher

Snohomish County