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Posts Tagged: Calandrinia grandiflora
A Touch of Red on Earth Day
It's Earth Day, an event we celebrate every April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protections on our troubled planet. This year's theme: "Restore Our Earth." U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson launched Earth Day on April 22, 1970,...
A honey bee touches down on a rock purslane, Calandrinia grandiflora. This plant yield red pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee rolling around in rock purslane on Earth Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley)
A honey bee packing red pollen from the rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee leaving a rock purslane and heading off to another one. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Getting the Red Out
"Where do bees get red pollen?" we were asked. "We've seen bees packing blood-red pollen at the entrance to a hive."Well, one flower that yields red pollen is rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora). It's a drought-tolerant perennial, a...
Honey bee packing red pollen from rockpurslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee heading toward rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In the Pink
Honey bees in the pink? Yes. If you plant rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora), a perennial succulent, be prepared for a posse of honey bees. Our rock purslane is drawing so many bees that you'd never know there's a declining bee population and...
Pollen-packing honey bee heads toward a rock purslane blossom already occupied by another worker. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee, packing a gigantic load of red pollen, heads for another rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Red-Eye Flight?
Unlike airplane pilots, honey bees don't file a flight plan.They know where they're going because their sisters tell them with their waggle dances. Pollen. Nectar. Propolis. All good.Bees seem to really like the pollen on rock purslane (Calandrinia...
Pollen-packing honey bee heading toward a rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Cleaning her tongue as she flies, a honey bee is on a mission: rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Guess Who Came to Dinner?
Picture this. A light rainstorm strikes the garden, pummeling and shredding some of the blossoms. As the rain lets up, a honey bee buzzes into a rock purslane blossom for a sweet shot of nectar. She is not alone. If you look closely, you'll see three...
Aphids and Honey Bee
