Just checking

We've just been totally engrossed in the latest episode of Foyle's War. That's why I'm late tonight!

Yesterday morning, I was tying up my tomatoes, and much to my delight I saw a blue banded bee darting about. I was doubly pleased because honey bees can't pollinate them - tomatoes depend on buzz pollination, which is the speciality of blue banded bees.

So, I took the camera down, thinking I could get a blip. The funny thing was that as soon as she saw me, she came really close, and buzzed very loudly in my ear, and did this a couple of times. Then she disappeared, and I didn't see her again.

Then it dawned on me. The same thing had happened in the park the other day when I was photographing orchids. Loud buzzing in the ear - and I mean really close, and then disappearance.

Both times I was wearing a very pretty pair of silver earrings with a shiny blue stone. These bees were taking exception to the blue, which was obviously glinting in the sun. I think they were trying to scare off the intruder. Maybe they thought it was another bee.

So, today I went to the tomatoes again, but without the earrings - blue banded bee was there, and didn't take any notice of me at all - just buzzed around doing her thing.

And the other good news is that I reckon I'm going to get a lot of tomatoes. There are a lot there growing very nicely.

And I got my shot.

Baby tomato