The South End Daily Bee

Poster for an Exhibition at Vancouver Island University titled Convergent. Features 3 horizontal detail images of the artwork - the first with penciled Garry Oak leaves overlaying a map, the second a photo of a leaf cutter bee in the process of cutting out a leaf, and the last a a warm-toned oil painting with rocks and plants. Text details: 900 Fifth Street, Entrance 5D, Tue-Fri 10am-4pm, Show dates 02.24-04.02 Opening Reception 02.27 4-7pm Vancouver Island University & The View Gallery Present CONVERGENT art by Anne Ramsden, Jesse Gray, & Yvonne Vander Koii

CONVERGENT: exhibition w/ Nanaimo artists Jesse Gray, Anne Ramsden & Yvonne Vander kooi
Re: local ecology & our relations w/ the landscape
Feb 24-Apr 2 opening Fri Feb 27 4-7pm

I will show 2 new bodies of work re: the Megachile/leaf-cutter bees in my yard

#nanaimo #nativebeeart #nativebees

Poster calling for volunteers on Oct 28 & Nov 1 to help build a pollinator pathway on Irwin street. Bordered by illustrations of purple asters & bleeding hearts, & 2 native bees flying around.

Hey #Nanaimo! We need volunteers for this 1st phase of a larger project I’m developing “The South End Pollinator Patchway”- creating native plant gardens in my neighbours’ front yards for free.

Building community & strengthening the commons & creating habitat in our low-income urban neighbourhood.

Hoo boy I’m agreeing with Jeff Koons now this really is the wildest timeline 😂

This is so amazing thanks for sharing!!

Adored this one when you first posted.

A combination of photographs & handwritten text on a grey background. Photos are all of red & yellow Nomad bees, text describes my observations & gives basic info on this type of bee.

We did a residency on Saltspring in June. There was a big area full of Andrena nests, & tons of Nomada.

I compiled my observations into these info sheets to share with the residency.

#dailybee #dailyisastateofmindwhenyoureaudhd #bcnativebees #saltspringisland #hemlockmicroresidency

A large bumble bee queen is in mid-fall out of a yellow sunflower, her back towards the ground & her legs all over the place

The petals gave up trying to hold this Chonky Queen’s weight

#dailybee #bcnativebees #bumblebees #queenbee #nativebees #nanaimo #vancouverisland

Ugh so sorry to hear this you guys! Let us know if you need anything.

Looking forward to this!!

Berke Breathed also did quite a bit of trump dumping in the 80s I think.

A long horned bee with back legs packed with pollen is perched precariously on the top of a purple aster flower. She has her wings up for balance and a leg in the air

From a few weeks ago

Melissodes female trying to balance those pollen thighs atop a wee aster flower

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #vancouverisland #nanaimo #nativeplants #pollinators

A bee is in the centre of a bright yellow gumweed flower, collecting pollen. Her face is in shadow but her abdomen is pointed almost 90 degrees up from the rest of her body, with stripes of pale hair catching the sunlight

Bee season is waning

Leafcutter lady/ Megachile fidelis on Grindelia doing the patented BBL (bee butt lift)

She’s putting that wasp waist to good use

#dailybee #bcnativebees #leafcutterbees #nativebees #nanaimo #vancouverisland #pollinators

A large bumblebee seen from behind, climbing over several long leaves - her back end is striped in black, white, & rust red, & 3 of her legs are awkwardly splayed out to support her

Bombus butt (Bombutt? Bumblebum?)

Another queenie clambering awkwardly through the sunflowers, breaking petals & bending leaves as she goes

#dailybee #bcnativebees #bumblebee #nativebees

A black bumblebee with cream & deep orange stripes is sideways in midair between two flowers, her back legs starfished out behind her

Leap into the void

These huge queens have wings but you wouldn’t know it from watching them climb thru the sunflowers & fling themselves from plant to plant

#dailybee #bcnativebees #bombus #nativebees #vancouverisland #nanaimo

A black, blonde & rust red bumble bee is crawling through a sunflower, using the petals like a climbing structure

2 different species of bumble queens out & about - they are so clumsy!

They’re freaking huge & flowers just collapse under them, but they also just can’t seem to travel or land without a lot of scrabbling & clambering & clinging to petals

#dailybee #bcnativebees
#bumblebees

A round ball of a bumble bee sits upside down at the centre of a many-petaled yellow calendula. The bee is a striking combination of white, black, & rust red

Bombus vancouverensis vancouverensis aka Vancouver Island Bumblebee

Another massive, clumsy bumble queen, w/ a stunning colour palette & patterns

#dailybee #bcnativebees #bumblebees #vancouverisland #nanaimo #pollinators

@jesseebirch.bsky.social cue ‘whyyy am i so maassive’

Most of the image is taken up by a golden yellow calendula blossom lit up by the midday sun, and in the centre of the flower is a shimmery metallic emerald green bee.

Have ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ in my head all the time when going through bee pics

It’s always true tho, just look at her

& she might be one minute old, I wouldn’t know

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #pollinators #nanaimo #vancouverisland #sweatbee

A shimmering metallic emerald green bee is seen from above as she perches in the orange centre of a light purple aster blossom. She has her legs splayed out to the sides for balance, her wings are up & her body is bent at the waist & the neck, & her shadow is being cast on the petals beside her. These elements together make a pleasing composition.

The compelling geometry of legs & petals & shadows & wings & antennae

Green metallic sweat bee female on Douglas aster/Agapostemon on Symphyotrichum subspicatum

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #pnwnativeplants #nativeplants #pollinators #pollinatorgarden

A large dark bee is looking unconcerned while foraging in an orange calendula blossom, meanwhile a striped bee a third her size is just about to pounce on her from above

Emphasizing the size dif btwn leaf cutter female & green sweat bee male

In last post the little guy just flies straight into the huge lady, full speed bonk

Those dudes are fearless & relentless patrolling ‘their’ flowers

#bcnativebees #dailybee #nativebees #pollinators #nanaimo #beesbehavingbadly

A black, yellow & red bumblebee asleep face down on a daisy

Ooh yeah! It’s usually the boys who sleep outside on flowers & they’re like frat boys passed out after a party, awkwardly draped over the furniture.

Green metallic sweat bee males’ main job seems to be annoying other bees into leaving ‘their’ territory

Poor leafcutter lady never gets a moment’s peace

#beesbehavingbadly #dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #pollinatorgarden #urbangardening #vancouverisland

These ladies never seem to catch a break

Female Leafcutter ambushed by male Leafcutter hoping to create some
baby Leafcutters

Megachile on Helianthus maximilliani

#dailybee #bcnativebees #pollinators #nativebees #leafcutterbees #nanaimo #urbangardening

Yeah Bembix americana

At the bottom of a golden yellow composite flower, an emerald green metallic bee is lit from behind, & casting a distinct shadow of herself on the petals

Bee & my shadow

Agapostemon/metallic green sweat bee lady on Maximillian sunflower preening in the midday sun

#dailybee #bcnativebees #pollinatorgarden #urbangarden #beegarden #nativebees #nativeplants

113

In the bottom of a golden yellow sunflower, a female leaf cutter bee is foraging, her wings out to either side, & her abdomen covered with orange pollen. To her left, a pair of red & white crab spider legs are juuuuust peeking out from between the petals

One leaf cutter bee, & one set of sneaky crab spider claws

On Maximillian sunflower

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #pollinators #pollinatorgarden #crabspider #megachile

A large black bee trimmed with blonde fur is perched on a light purple aster flower. She is extremely round, and is covering up most of the blossom with her body. She’s also carrying a load of orange pollen in the hairs under her abdomen.

Some of these leaf cutter ladies are real honkin chonkers

Giant Megachile on average sized Douglas aster

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #nativeplants #pnwnativeplants

A shaggy bee seen in profile while perched on the yellow centre of a purple aster blossom. She has shaggy pants full of orange pollen on her back legs & her segmented antennae are pointing down into the flower.

2025 Melissodes on Douglas aster

#dailybee #bcnativebees #nativebees #vancouverisland #nanaimo #nativeplants #pollinators #urbangardening