Probably Not The Best Idea

  I found long ago that bumblebees and other flower bees sleep deep inside of flowers at night.  Here, they are snug little bugs!  In the morning, they have a ready source of pollen for breakfast before they go about their daily business.  Most flowers, such as lilies, squash blossoms and trumpet vine blooms are sturdy and provide shelter against rains and the chill of night. However!  Sometimes, the choice of bloom can be a mistake.

  Last night we had torrential rains.  Everything became soaked.  This morning's hike proved to be rather soggy with the leaves and blooms still dripping water.  One small bumblebee was quite soaked.  It had made the mistake of choosing the bloom of the Althea bush as its nighttime quarters.  Normally, while this would not have been the best choice, it definitely would not have been the worst.  The blooms of this shrub are "one time only" blooms.  They open during the day and then close...for good...at dusk.   If a bee climbed inside the bloom, the soft folds of petals would gently caress it like soft blankets as it closed for the night.  In the morning, the bee could still wiggle its way out of the petals.  With the rains, however, the petals would almost "glue" themselves together making a tightly enclosed "cocoon" around the bee.  Obviously, our little bee had sense enough to climb out of its bed and "ride out the storm" on the outer edge of the shriveled bloom.  Poor, little bee was covered with water droplets but was still clinging to its bloom!

  It seems that this summer has had two things going for it.  It has been hot!  We have had near record temperatures.  It has also been wet.  Rainstorms pop up almost every evening. as of late.  These storms have a lot of wind, lightning and thunder.  The little bee endured quite the ordeal last night so I am in hopes that it finds a safer place for tonight's slumber.  Perhaps it should try the new hotel called "Madonna Lily" down the garden a ways.  I hear tell that its "open all night" and is touted to have strong petals.  Sweet dreams, Little Bee!