Bees

Seems to be a good year for bees. Here's a video of honey and bumble bees enjoying the Joe Pye Weed and Purple Loosestrife:

Joe Pye Weed, by the way, is the showy American cousin of our native Hemp Agrimony. Legend has it that Joe Pye was an 18th century native American medicine-man who used the plant to treat fevers, but the supposed medicinal powers of the plant have since been debunked.

There are several apiaries in the area. Didn't see any swarms this year but here's a video of one just outside the house last Spring:

We heard that a neighbour of the apiary on Cromwell Road got stung this year and complained to the council. Let's hope they did nothing more than offer to kiss it better.