First The Birds, Now The Bees

The bees have taken great interest in the hummingbird feeder.  It makes sense that they would - the wildflowers are pretty much gone, but I expect that these guys still have some stocking up to do for the winter. 

Each of the little plastic flowers in the feeder was packed full of bees, with more trying to work their way in.  Hubby brought home some apple juice and has suggested that we put a bowl out for them.  He figures they'll like it better than the sugarwater in the feeder.  I'll have to stick it somewhere high to keep the grandkids and bees from getting too close to each other.

Some of the bees found their way into the house.  Not where they wanted to be, and not where I wanted them to be, either.  I'm employing a catch-and-release program with them, catching them in a jar and taking them outside.  I recall hearing on the radio recently that bees are having a hard time around here. 

I don't know anything about bees, so went out to the web to discover whether feeding them now was a good thing to do.  It appears that it may be.  They're apparently not seasonal migrators, and live through the winter on what they've stored, so the extra meals here may be helpful. 

I don't think that any remaining hummingbirds will be too jazzed about their feeder being full of bees, though.



FT

There are still some hummingbirds

I was surprised that they're still around.  The feeder had pretty much gone dry, and I wasn't going to fill it back up, but I saw a hummingbird hovering around it Sunday morning.  I restocked it a bit and it's been a polular site ever since. 

The fellow I took the picture of here is on his way to somewhere else.  He seemed awfully chubby as hummingbirds go, but I suppose he would have to be for the trip he's got ahead of him. 

I recall reading an article that suggested that an increased sugar content to the nectar in the fall, when the birds are migrating, would be a good thing.  I think I'll fill the thing up a bit and strengthen the dose.  An extra tablespoon or so of sugar might be helpful to them on their way south.


FT