When California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) bloom and honey bees battle over the blossoms, can spring be far behind?
No, it's just California's pleasant weather. The California poppy, the state flower, usually blooms from February to September, but sometimes in a warm, sheltered area, you'll find it blooming in the dead of winter--and honey bees foraging among the blossoms.
Such is the case over on Garrod Drive by the UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery. The asphalt from the parking lot generates quite a big of heat--and coupled with the sun, that's plenty of warmth for golden poppies to flourish.
It's a sight to bee-hold when Apis mellifera and Eschscholzia californica meet in December.
Attached Images:
Two honey bees sharing a California poppy on Garrod Drive, UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee foraging in a California poppy. The green leaves are tinged with red, holiday colors. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee walking along a petal of a California poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)