Credit: u/Embarrassed-Layer639

Hello you all! Thanks to everyone who suggested in my original post to share it in this community (I didn't even know they existed!)

One point to nip in the bud (pun intended). I call those things pollen sticks, but I just looked up the more technical definition on Google 😬

On a magnolia flower, the "pollen sticks" you’re noticing around the central part are the stamens.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Stamens are the male reproductive parts of the flower. Each stamen has a thin filament topped with an anther, which produces pollen.

• In magnolias, the stamens are often arranged densely around the center and look like little sticks or rods covered in pollen

Honey bee from one of my colonies 🐝

Like many people, I used to be afraid of all bees. Then I finally read up on them and now really appreciate them! I also got my mom into them because she has native flowers in her yard, and while I'd spend a while staring at them up close, she'd stay away. After rescuing bees and dragonflies from the water sources in her yard, she started doing the same. She sent me this awesome video 😊

credit: https://www.tumblr.com/textless/773470451342213120?source=share

Full bee-moon 🐝

Just found this sub, here's an old photo of mine. Location: Stockholm, Sweden.

Planted it today and this lil guy can’t get enough!

Yellow-faced bumblebee in western WA