All a Buzz!

Dear Diary,

The garden is buzzing with winged activity just now.  I can't say they are all bees though.  There were a couple of new visitors that I can't identify.  A group of four worked over a Rubeckia.  These had the appearance of large flies but with spiky protuberances in the back.  The second look long, like a dragon fly but not any dragon fly I've seen before.  There was also a tiny bee there at the same time, loaded with pollen.  I've never seen such a small one.

This is the time of year when the bees too are very busy.  They know the days are numbered.  My bumble bee above appears to have only one wing, which of course can't be right since he flew quite well.  It was a decidedly odd walk in the garden I must say.  As my friend Alice would say, "Curiouser and Curiouser!"

They had hinted at the possibility of some rain today but it doesn't look too promising.  Sigh...