Pincushion flower and bee.

I meant to post this photo ages ago…I’m hoping to pick the brains of anyone who is interested in/an expert regarding/wants to wildly speculate about bees to get an ID for this little one I found on a fading scabiosa bloom in my garden. I took this image on a chilly morning in late August and the bee seemed awfully cold – it sure wasn’t moving much.

I just can’t resist pincushion flowers (mine is Scabiosa caucasica ‘Perfecta’) – the structure of the blooms is remarkable and the pollinators adore them. I am determined to add a few more hardy types to my perennial beds over the next couple of years. Do you grow Scabiosa?

Posted by:

Sheryl @ Flowery Prose

Sheryl Normandeau is a writer and gardening enthusiast living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in the foothills of the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

36 responses to “Pincushion flower and bee.”

raisingdaisy

November 6, 2014

Wow he’s quite the fuzzy little guy! I love the flower, the name suits it perfectly. Beautiful photo!

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Sometimes the common names for plants are spot-on, aren’t they? 🙂
  
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Boomdeeadda

November 6, 2014

Awww, poor fellow to be so cold. I haven’t grown Scabiosa but I really love them too. Alys featured her’s as well at some point last summer. I prefer their common name so much more. Did you grow yours from seed? Or did the garden center have a pot? We’re having 10 degree’s today ! Isn’t that wild for our part of the country? Global tell’s of darkening shadows on the horizons (ha, channelling our long past weather man Bill there).

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  I agree – the common name is not as harsh-sounding as Scabiosa, which totally fails to roll prettily off the tongue! I purchased mine as a transplant really late in the season – it was calling to me, LOL.
  
  Hopefully you’re staying warm there in the north (this will be your first winter in the new house, how wonderful!). I’ve been finding the wind chills to be a bit of a shock to the system the past couple of days. Must acclimatize! 🙂
  
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  1. Boomdeeadda
    
    November 11, 2014
    
    I was out for only an hour yesterday to wrap a couple of trees with Xmas lights and it wasn’t too bad until the sun disappeared behind the grey clouds. Yes, the wind is unrelenting. Inside we’re enjoying the fireplace tonight, so that’s a nice thing about cold weather, LOL
    
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KerryCan

November 6, 2014

That’s a different-looking bee! I have no idea what he is but he is handsome!

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  I agree, it really doesn’t look like any others I’ve seen before…very interesting!
  
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Debra

November 6, 2014

❤ bees. The people at BugGuide are so helpful. I asked them for an ID and got it in less than a day.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  This is great! I will check with them. Thanks so much for sending me the link, much appreciated!
  
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colorpencil2014

November 6, 2014

Hi Sheryl, it is a bit hard to see but since your little fellow is indeed very hairy, on his own and seems to be a little rotund…I would say it is a bumble bee, probaby a Western one. Bumblebeees are also more slow in movement and can deal a little better with the cold. That gives an advantage to the bees: able to get to the nectar a little sooner in the day and season because of that. I love bumblebees, I always called my youngest when he was a wee lad, my little Bumblebee;0)
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_bumblebee

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  I was thinking that too, because of the hair…but I’m used to the really big bumbles, and I wasn’t sure. But it does really look like the photo at the link you sent – I think you are probably right! Truly amazing creatures – I read one time about how the queens get through our crazy cold winters, it is astonishing.
  
  The nickname for your son when he was a child is so sweet, made me smile! 🙂
  
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clarepooley33

November 6, 2014

I love scabious and grow a beautiful dark red wine-coloured scabiosa caucasia . The bees love it and it flowers all summer. I still have a few poor flowers on it now. It has become enormous and I must divide it up some time.

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  I found a photo of your beautiful plant on one of your July posts: http://asuffolklane.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/a-suffolk-garden-in-july-insects-part-2/. What a truly spectacular colour!
  
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Walter

November 6, 2014

Hi Sheryl, that is sure an interesting flower, I never read or heard about it before. It is amazing how you can find always these interesting things to photograph.

Love

Grandpa

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Thank you so much, Grandpa! I hope you’re doing well, and staying warm out of this wintery weather!
  
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The Canadian Cats

November 6, 2014

I gather the scabiosa (sounds like a spell from Harry Potter) is a perennial. I like the colours clarepooley33 has with her scabiosa caucasia. Deep colours are my thing. The poor little is a hairy guy or I’m just not used to seeing bees up close.

Jean

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  I love that – it does indeed sound like a spell from Harry Potter! 🙂
  
  Yes, it is a perennial – have to select only the hardy ones here, though! I’d love to get some others in different colours – that red one is a delight, isn’t it?
  
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Geraldine

November 6, 2014

wow, how cool is that! 😉

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Interesting, for sure! 🙂
  
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Deb

November 6, 2014

We have the same plant at our cabin. I noticed it was still looking nice with flowers last Wednesday. A very rugged plant. This is my first year growing it. It wasn’t planned, the plant was just super cheap at Canadian Tire.

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Some of the best plants in my garden got there that way – it’s fun to hunt for bargains at CT! 🙂
  
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LadyPinkRose

November 7, 2014

What a great shot, Sheryl. As for the type of bee, I have no idea. That is one odd bee. Hmmm…. A mutant? Love, Amy

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  It is different-looking, isn’t it? Curious!
  
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Donna@GardensEyeView

November 7, 2014

Sorry I couldn’t help but this is a great shot. The voles killed all my scabiosa which I love.

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Oh those voles can be such a nuisance, can’t they? That’s really too bad – they do so much damage.
  
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LB

November 9, 2014

I’ve not seen a pincushion flower! How beautiful! (can’t help you with the bee …)

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  Pincushion flowers are really lovely – they bloom a long time, too, which is a bonus. They look fabulous in a slight breeze on those tall stems (but they don’t usually need staking!).
  
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utesmile

November 10, 2014

I used to love them so much when I was a child and went through meadow. I used to pick them for my mum.

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  That would be such a beautiful gift! 🙂
  
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coolquilting

November 11, 2014

lovely flower…and what an interesting looking bee. It does look like some kind of mutant with the hair missing on its back!

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 11, 2014
  
  The bee is really odd, isn’t it? Definitely not like any others I’ve ever seen.
  
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Mags Corner

November 13, 2014

What a great picture sweet Sheryl. I have never seen this kind of flower nor have I ever seen a bee quite like that one. I found the picture very interesting and wondered if the bee had decided to take a nap. Hugs

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1. Sheryl @ Flowery Prose
  
  November 16, 2014
  
  I was wondering the same thing myself – the little one wasn’t very active. I was a bit worried for it, actually – but I noticed later in the day that it had moved on.
  
  Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
  
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Gallivanta

November 17, 2014

I did grow scabiosa but they seem to have vanished. They were prolific last year.

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thefolia

December 14, 2014

I don’t blame you for growing these beauties! Happy digging!

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natuurfreak

May 11, 2016

Superb.

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