Two Bees, One Coming and The Other Going!

Venus Flytrap 'Mammoth' with a Bee trapped halfway, with it's head in.

Venus Flytrap 'Mammoth' with a Bee trapped halfway, with it's head out.

    This Venus Flytrap 'Mammoth' has caught two bees. Although the traps are pretty good size, it only trapped half of a bee at a time. The first bee was trapped with it's head in the trap and about five weeks later the second bee was trapped with it's head out of the trap.

Venus Flytrap 'Mammoth' before it trapped the Bees

    Here is a picture of Venus flytrap 'Mammoth" before it trapped the Bees.

A Bee in The Euphorbia bubleurifolia (Pine Cone Plant)

Bee in Blooms of Euphorbia bubleurifolia (Pine Cone Plant)

     Today I noticed a bee among the blooms of this Euphorbia bupleurifolia (AKA Pine Cone Plant).  This plant was a gift from Carol Knight.  Thanks again Carol, and the Bee thanks you too!  Bees come and go quickly, so I had to act fast and took these with my iPhone.  No seed will come of this as this plant is not self-pollinating and who knows how close the nearest Euphorbia bupleurifolia is from here!

Euphorbia bubleurifolia (Pine Cone Plant)

Bee in blooms of Euphorbia bubleurifolia (Pine Cone Plant)

Euphorbia bubleurifolia (Pine Cone Plant)

Lithops AKA Living Stone Plants

 

Lithops

    I enjoy the challenge of growing Lithops (AKA living stone plants) and here I some in a pot with stone just to make it confusing!  These plants are about the size of a US quarter.  If I can keep them alive more the two years I consider it a great success, and these are in their third year of my care!  

Mourning Doves Nesting

 

Mourning Doves - One Adult and two babies 

Mourning Doves can pick some odd places to build a nest and here is one of those odd places.  This hanging wrought iron plant holder is next to Mike's greenhouse and he walks by it multiple times everyday.  Since doves raise multiple broods in a season, it will be interesting to see if they use this nest again.  

Mourning Doves

Mourning Doves

Mourning Doves

Fanfare Blooms!

     

matucana madisoniorum

    I've had this Peruvian cactus Matucana Madisoniorum for a long time.  It's a slow grower but a regular bloomer.  I like the almost smooth like texture with few spines and the fanfare trumpet shaped blooms!

matucana madisoniorum

Cactus - Blooms and Spines!

     I like this overhead picture showing the contrast of the soft blooms and the sharp spines on this cactus.

Plumeria Color

     I have several Plumeria growing on the balcony and here are some pictures of the blooms.  The red one was just a cutting seven weeks ago!

Plumeria

Plumeria

Plumeria

Plumeria