Bees....

I like bees. I don't understand why some people get upset when they are about. The only sting if they feel threatened. And if you stand still they won't bother you. My cousin in the English Lake District keeps them and they are fascinating to watch go about their business. Park the deck chair out of their flight path and you will be fine.

They are such useful creatures as well, pollinating so many of our food crops. Sadly they are under threat the world over. Monoculture of crops and the overuse of pesticides is affecting them badly. Ironically, the are doing really well in cities where gardens full of flowers that haven't been doused in chemicals provide a great food source and they reward us with rich, tasty, urban honey which is far superior to the kinds that are made in the countryside.

I think this one is a Red Bottomed Bumble Bee going about its business on the golden flower of an Helenium (I am willing to be corrected on both these identifications). They are hard to photograph. You just get focussed on one and it's off to another flower. But I was quite pleased with this capture with the camera on my iPhone.