Bee's knees & other moving parts

Bumblebees are our friends, but like other non-human critters are under threat as habitat is destroyed and pesticides applied.

Because of the inter-relatedness of stuff, that means we're in danger, too --- but who pays attention? Who even notices these guys, so common we take them for granted?

I mean, when was the last time you sat down on the grass among the coneflowers and just watched?

Now that all human knowledge has been encapsulated into Wikipedia, I was able to learn after coming in from the back yard last evening that bumblebees are of the genus Bombus. Love that.

And did you know that bumblebees can pollinate plant that others can't by using a technique called buzz pollination?

Or that three varieties of bumblebee native to North America are vanishing and one already may be extinct?

Unless you're aggressive, bumblebees aren't. So get out there, enjoy and marvel.