Bees A-Buzzin’

I can’t help myself. If I hear bees a-buzzin’ and I think I can video them I have to do it. Can someone ID this bee for me?

If I knew how, I’d have edited out that horrible Skytrain roar at the end…

A few minutes earlier there was a giant bumble bee (I imagine a queen, but I’m no  expert!) enjoying the blooms of the Daphne odorata. And sooo odorata! Even tho’ it’s a really frail and little shrub–at least 10 years old, maybe 11, and still less than 3′ tall and wide– I’ll usually cut off just one little branch to bring inside to fragrance-up my living room. A shrub this fragrant should always be planted in a place where its delight can be appreciated–near the front door, or walkway that you use regularly.

But back to the bees… I didn’t have my phone on me, so didn’t photograph or video it/her. But I was able to see her very long pointy tongue. No wonder she likes the trumpet shaped flowers of the Daphne. Yesterday I saw her, one one just like her, crawl into a tunnel underneath the Spirea in the back yard. Interestingly, that Spirea was just transplanted into its spot last month, so she certainly didn’t over-winter in that tunnel. Wish I knew more about bees…