December bumble

Photo by Sarah Phelan

As a prelude to winter (and to remind myself how warm winter in Northern California really is) I've been reading Barry Lopez' amazing Artic Dreams.

In his bestseller, which was first published in 1986, Lopez ruminates on the wonders of tundra-adapted polar bears, muskoxen, narwhals and, yes, bumble bees.

Lopez notes that bumble bees raise their body temperature by 8 degrees by sleeping inside flowers.

I don't know if  this bumble plans to sleep inside a petal tent tonight, but her thick furry coat was helping her to forage in Oakland, despite today's chill.