That's said KEITH Poor bees They really have so many things to contend with
From facebook
Keith I am VERY sorry to learn that you have lost a whole colony of bees, largely because of the difficulties honey bees are having this side of the Atlantic. I truly hope you have better results next year - - for your enjoyment and satisfaction as well as for survival of the bees,
I enjoyed your Elusive Butterfly. Years ago, back in he 80's maybe, a local disc jockey had a collection of various versions of this song. I forget the number but it was a surprisingly large collection. He played at least one version every day. One either grew fond of or learned to hate that song. I liked it!
JUNE - The version I posted of Elusive Butterfly was the original written by Bob Lind and sung by Bob Lind.
He was an American folk music singer/songwriter from Baltimore - Maryland and I believe he now lives in Florida.
He reached number 5 in both the US and UK charts with this version in 1966.
You are correct many other artist played covers of this and Val Doonican also UK charted with it in 1966 in the same chart weeks and also reached Number 5.
Thinking of your capture of Odin (Still Around this morning).
Why does he stick with EJ and why do most ospreys keep their mates for years.
Is their love for their partner so deep they stay together - Don't believe it.
Whatever feelings they have for each other this loyalty is a strategy for maximising the number of young they can raise.
The benefits of "Forever Together" are greater than anything they can gain by sowing their wild oats.
They learn from their successes and failures each time - and the opportunity to learn maybe one reason they do not break up.
Staying together saves time and energy - after a long hard race from their winter grounds to their breeding grounds they have little time for flirting.
So why do some divorce their long term partner - Rather like humans they sometimes get out when things go wrong as seen in a bad breeding season or nest failure.
As well as divorce some do cheat - a female may copulate with a strange male maybe to enhance her chances in vcase she has no offspring with her mate. And vice versa.
So is their love for their partner so deep or is it just a strategy. These are only thoughts and I think the latter.
I won't even try to agree with or dispute anything in your above post. I believe what you discuss is still one of the mysteries of nature, Maybe we will never know and that is OK with me. I find something intriguing and pleasant about this mystery.
But I do believe that the one year EJ exhibited guilt, while Odin showed jealousy. Their relationship that summer appeared quite different from what it had been the previous year before the infidelity took place.
Jealousy and Guilt are very human traits indeed, but to me and a mutual friend, they were very clearly affecting the relationship.
Unfortunately, butterflies and bees have both been too elusive here this summer. As for my beautiful budlea usually filled with various kinds of butterflies, it died during the winter. May have been my fault in attempting to kill the weeds taking over around it. The weeds are still there :(, the budlea is gone :(.
Good morning all. Just been reading your thoughts on wether ospreys have feelings of LOVE for each other.! I like to think so but also think it is a survival of the species strategy. Possibly a bit of both? Or am I just sitting on the fence? I think back to your story of the swallow that was killed by a car. The story you posted Keith! (Fraid to say brought a tear!) I think we like to think of EJ and Odin being in love and being reunited after a long seperation. I think thats something we will never know! :)
Keith sorry to learn that you lost your colony of bees. I think bees are declining generally throughout the world and hope the research that is being carried out will find a solution. Our Buddlea is full of flowers and also flowers a bit later than most. Not sure why! The moths love it too and yesterday saw a humming bird hawk moth which is a migrant from Africa. They are becoming more common with effects of Global warming. The bats also love our buddlea in the evenings.