
We do not have a lawn. Even the grass is in short supply and each year “the green bit” is invaded by the most successful weed. This year the prize goes to varieties in the family of the Compositae, probably Cat’s Ears and Hawkbits but my Botany skills cannot identify it or them any further.

Never the less when it comes time to mow the stuff we feel obliged to leave some patches uncut. What used to be an annoying, unsightly weed has become the preferred pollen source of the Dasypoda hirtipes that are living in the garden just now.

We can see them foraging from a distance as each time they land on a flower head it dips and the whole mass of flowers undulates as the bees move from flower to flower. The video gives a very short clip (12 seconds) of the action.

The French name for this bee is “Abeille à culottes”, for an obvious reason. I don’t think it has a common English name as it is not quite as common as it is here in France.

She collects pollen on long hairs on her back legs but sometimes she has a pollen frenzy and it goes everywhere!

This solitary nest is just at the edge of the back garden very conveniently located for access to the flowers. She comes out of the hole very cautiously so I have managed to get some shots.

She zooms back in as the open nest is quite exposed so my best photograph to date is a yellow smudge at the nest entrance.
It is nice to think she is leaving me the eggs and I’m sure our weeds will be back to feed her offspring.
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Born in Scotland I have lived in England, Iran, USA and Greece. The house and land was bought twelve years ago in fulfilment of the dream of living in France that my Francophile husband nurtured. We had spent frequent holidays in France touring the more northerly parts and enjoying the food, scenery, architecture and of course gardens. However, we felt that to retire in France and enjoy a more clement climate than we currently had in Aberdeen we would need to find somewhere south of the river Loire but not too south to make returning to visit the UK onerous.
The year 2000 saw us buying our house and setting it up to receive us and the family on holidays. The garden was more a field and we were helped by my son to remove the fencing that had separated the previous owners’ goats, sheep and chickens. We did inherit some lovely old trees and decided to plant more fruit trees that would survive and mature with the minimum of care until we took up permanent residence.
The move took place in 2006 and the love hate relation with the “garden” started.
There was so much to do in the house that there was little energy left for the hard tasks in the garden. It was very much a slow process and a steep learning curve. Expenditures have been kept to a minimum. The majority of the plants have been cuttings and I try to gather seeds wherever I can. The fruit trees have all been bought but we have tender hearts and cannot resist the little unloved shrub at a discount price and take it as a matter of honour to nurse it back to health.
This year I have launched my Blog hoping to reach out to other gardeners in other countries. My aim is to make a garden for people to enjoy, providing shady and sunny spots with plants that enjoy living in this area with its limestone based subsoil and low rainfall in a warm summer. Exchanging ideas and exploring mutual problems will enrich my experience trying to form my French garden.
August 11, 2013 at 4:45 pm
Amelia that shot of the pollen-covered culotte-wearing bee is astonishing!
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August 11, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Thank you, they are very photogenic.
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August 11, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Don’t think I’ve ever seen such stuffed pollen baskets! What a beauty.
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August 11, 2013 at 7:11 pm
She is one of my favourite bees.
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August 11, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Beautiful!
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August 11, 2013 at 7:11 pm
Thank you, glad you liked it.
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August 11, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Nice of you to leave her some food . . . and nice video as well.
FYI, you can easily embed it in the post – Add Media/Insert From Url, add the direct link to the video.
Don’t copy the one from the browser’s address bar; click on “share” and grab that link.
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August 11, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Thanks, I copied the link. I’ll try the share next time.
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August 11, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Blimey that is one loaded bee! The French name is perfect!
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August 11, 2013 at 7:13 pm
It is a wonder she can fly with that load but I can attest that she does so – and rapidly.
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August 11, 2013 at 6:26 pm
What a fabulous creature – I want one. That portrait shot is absolutely amazing – she is being a very obliging model.
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August 11, 2013 at 7:16 pm
You must have them, just look in the dandelions when it is sunny.
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August 11, 2013 at 8:24 pm
Lovely photos. I like watching the bees swinging from one plantain flower to the next in our “lawn”.
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August 12, 2013 at 7:40 am
Plantain was the “weed of the year” last year 🙂
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August 12, 2013 at 12:22 am
The bees are a great reason to leave the meadow uncut until fall.
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August 12, 2013 at 7:44 am
Its not exactly a meadow, it’s the only lawn we have. I would like to try to keep a piece as meadow without it impinging on us getting from A to B in wet weather and fitting in with the rest of the garden.
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August 12, 2013 at 4:28 am
I love your ‘lawn’.
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August 12, 2013 at 7:47 am
Thanks, I’m not into sterile lawns and in consequence I’ve been watching 3 other different species of mining bees make there homes in it earlier in the year. They are the ones I’ve noticed.
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August 12, 2013 at 6:35 am
What a friendly looking bee, and one that looks very satisfied with herself!
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August 12, 2013 at 7:49 am
I’m glad you think she looks friendly. I think all the bees look cute. I have taken photographs of some with green eyes that I think are so beautiful but my son-in-law says they look wicked. I think he has watched too many Star Wars movies.
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August 12, 2013 at 5:36 pm
Love the Abeille à culottes – wonderful image, Amelia. RH
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August 15, 2013 at 9:02 am
She is so cute!
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August 15, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Hahaha, now I can comfort myself with your words when I wooryy about my green weeds. Loooooove the bee portrait, it is very good!
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August 16, 2013 at 9:11 am
Thanks, I love my bees.
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October 28, 2013 at 7:50 pm
She goes with pants!!
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