Flower of One's Own. Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris/lucorum, on Lotus corniculatus, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Océ-weerd, Meuse Corridor, Venlo, The Netherlands
Our Trefoil is quite partial to which insects it feeds. The structure of the flower is such that almost only Bumblebees are able to prise the petals apart for that Sweet Lode at its centre.
I'm not sure which of two Bumblebees this one is: either, I think, 'Terrestris' or else 'Lucorum'. I didn't catch it so more intimate morphological distinctions escaped me. And those bands? well, those of Terrestris are orange-ochre, those of Lucorum lemon-orange, so declare insect books. In this photo: take your pick...
Flower of One's Own. Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris/lucorum, on Lotus corniculatus, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Océ-weerd, Meuse Corridor, Venlo, The Netherlands
Our Trefoil is quite partial to which insects it feeds. The structure of the flower is such that almost only Bumblebees are able to prise the petals apart for that Sweet Lode at its centre.
I'm not sure which of two Bumblebees this one is: either, I think, 'Terrestris' or else 'Lucorum'. I didn't catch it so more intimate morphological distinctions escaped me. And those bands? well, those of Terrestris are orange-ochre, those of Lucorum lemon-orange, so declare insect books. In this photo: take your pick...