Black Bottomed Bumble Bee and the Silver Bush Lupine blossoms
Look who is visiting the Silver Bush Lupine Lupinus albifrons “Silver Bush Lupine”.
It's a Black Bottomed Bumble Bee, and look at the red pollen in its baskets.
I planted three of these lupines in pots on the patio, primarily to provide more food for butterflies and to create habitat for the endangered Mission Blue butterfly.
But all the pollinators are welcome, and the bees are coming.
These are images of the same bumble bee, who often visits the patio plants as well as the native plant garden in the front yard.
Here is a close-up of the bumble bee getting nectar from the lupine blossom.