Springtime lovin

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:10 am

Well
I have made a few comments here and there, so it is time to subject you to a photo or two.
These bees are in the genus Diadasia, and are common springtime bees on the local cactus when they flower.

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:11 am

From the green stigma lobes it looks like an Echinocereus flower? Bit of a job to tell without seeing the plant.

DaveW

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:25 am

Good eye. It is Echinocereus engelmannii.

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:51 am

I can identify one or two as I have been growing cacti for about 45 years! Though I never specialised in the Echinocerei. There are ony a couple of species of Echinocereus that do not have green stigma lobes, which is therefore rather a characteristic of the genus.

DaveW

Member British Cactus & Succulent Society, Cactus and Succulent Society of America and several others!

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:28 am

Those are pretty fuzzy bees Gorden. I have never seen bees mating out in the open either...great photos

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 4:10 pm

Doug commented:

I have never seen bees mating out in the open either...great photos

Some folks that visit our mountains here in North Carolina need to consider that! Can't say how many times on what I would have considered a wilderness hike, that I have ran across "springtime love'n!"

Go on a wilderness hike with me...it's not only educational but an adventure also.

Great shots of the mating there Gordon.