Intricacies: Part One

Bombus pensylvanicus

The glint of sunlight off of her wings catches my eye as I lay in the grass, reading. The bee floats, meandering slowly about in the warm, dry air, and pauses at the sight of a blooming white clover. She hovers and then rests upon the outer edge of a petal, where she swipes upwards, collecting little bits of yellow dust. Then, moving on to the next petal, and the next, she slowly makes her way around the entire flower, meticulously foraging and ensuring no little particle is left behind. As she lifts off, pollen leaves a dusting upon her stiff, black and yellow hairs. Her wings buzz, carrying the weight of her gathering in the basket-shape of her legs, or corbicula. She does not rest but for a second, seemingly glancing kindly at me, before the summer breeze draws her back to the hive.

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