Zeroing in!

On the way back from the Mitcham shopping centre I caught this single bee, zeroing in on the centre of a Convolvulus flower. Its common name here is morning glory.

It is a rampant annual or perennial herbaceous vine which is a native of the tropics and does not really belong here in Southern Australia. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and can be found in various colours. However most of the ones I have ever seen are a violet-purple colour.

It is regarded as a serious weed in our state and probably all over Australia. It can be a serious weed in gardens and when it escapes into bushland, it can be deadly, smothering trees and shrubs. Regardless of its bad reputation, it is still a most beautiful flower.

Having said all that, this lone bee found the plant most interesting as it headed for the pollen in the centre. He was doing a lot of hovering and not much diving in.

See better bee when big.