Frantic Merriment. Bombus pratorum, Early Bumblebee, on Blue Starflower, Borago officinalis, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pliny the Elder called our beautiful Blue Starflower 'Buglossos', and claimed it promotes joy and merriment as medicine. It is said Roman soldiers used an extract in wine to provide for courage in battle, and since at least the medieval medical school of Salerno the plant has been used as an antidote to depression and melancholy...: 'Ego Borago, gaudia semper ago'. Thus it's been used as a treatment for frantic and 'lunatic' persons.
I wonder what it's like to be a Bumblebee, seemingly so frantic and unpredictable. Even when it's mining Borago for nectar. Indeed, that's what this Early Bumblebee is doing here. It's bypassing the outer reproductive organs (see inset) of Blueflower and going right to the sweet heart of the matter, the tissues around Blue's ovary, with pistil and stamens as a foothold.
Judging by its frayed wings, I think the end of flight for our frantic nectarhunter is not far away!
Frantic Merriment. Bombus pratorum, Early Bumblebee, on Blue Starflower, Borago officinalis, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pliny the Elder called our beautiful Blue Starflower 'Buglossos', and claimed it promotes joy and merriment as medicine. It is said Roman soldiers used an extract in wine to provide for courage in battle, and since at least the medieval medical school of Salerno the plant has been used as an antidote to depression and melancholy...: 'Ego Borago, gaudia semper ago'. Thus it's been used as a treatment for frantic and 'lunatic' persons.
I wonder what it's like to be a Bumblebee, seemingly so frantic and unpredictable. Even when it's mining Borago for nectar. Indeed, that's what this Early Bumblebee is doing here. It's bypassing the outer reproductive organs (see inset) of Blueflower and going right to the sweet heart of the matter, the tissues around Blue's ovary, with pistil and stamens as a foothold.
Judging by its frayed wings, I think the end of flight for our frantic nectarhunter is not far away!