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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: "birdcr AT concentric.net" <birdcr AT concentric.net>
  • To: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org, NaturalBeesinNC AT yahoogroups.com
  • Subject: [ocba] Orange pollen-Wingstem blooming
  • Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:55:36 -0500 (CDT)

Folks,

I was out walking looking for a rare western butterfly (Dainty
Sulphur) that has been seen in Virginia and Maryland for the past
month. I did not find it, although a buddy of mine found one a
mile from where I was looking Sunday, a first record for Durham
County.

Anyway I saw thousands of bees on Wingstem, Verbesina alternifolia
gathering orange pollen, see attached photos of a bee with pollen
on the flowers. I looked in and around wetlands at three
locations: Hillsborough east of the Eno River Farmers Market along
the Eno flood plain, The Flat River Impoundments and along Guess
Road and New Sharon Church. The bees were the primary pollinators
at each location.

Wingstem is a wetland plant it grows 3-8 foot tall and is found
along edges and ditches. This is a very common plant and if your
hives are near wetlands you should be seeing a lot of orange
pollen.

Also noted Purple Gerardia, Agalinis (Gerardia) purpurea with a
lot of bees going inside the flowers. I was looking for
caterpillars of the Common Buckeye butterfly on this plant for
Meg's second grade classroom.

Cheers,
Randy Emmitt
www.rlephoto.blogspot.com

Attachment: 2704_bee_wingstem_ds.jpg
Description: Binary data



  • [ocba] Orange pollen-Wingstem blooming, birdcr AT concentric.net, 09/10/2012

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