Mr.Bumble

Meet Bombus fervidus - the Golden Northern Bumble Bee.  Or simply - bumble bee. 

It's a robust bee.  Only young, mated queens overwinter to emerge in early spring to establish a colony.  The female sports a mostly yellow thorax and abdominal segments 1 thru 4.  She is black on segments 5 thru 6.  The male is yellow thru segment 5 and black on segments 6 thru 7.  They're common around here feeding on flower nectar and honey manufactured in their colony.

They're all over the New England Aster - Aster novae-angliae.  This native plant grows all-over around here in sun, shade and moist spots.  A late  bloomer it really shows-off when autumn rolls-around.  The coloring can range from white to blue although ours generally are pink and variations of blue and violet.  It's a terrific nectar plant and I've been busy photographing many of the pollinators paying it a visit. 

click on images for a closer look

 

Mr. Bumble likes it in particular.  It's the last hurrah for the blooms around here.  And I haven't seen a monarch since the last one I reported-on.  Best to soak it in while I can.