My big fat bumble bee nest

Yesterday, I was sitting near the shoreline on Alameda Island when I became aware of a bumblebee nest. The first clue was a steady stream of bees arriving and leaving the nest, which was tucked in a well-drained bank beneath a clump of wild fennel and pickle weed grass. I didn't get any closer with my camera:. Frankly, I feared upsetting these furry badger-faced vegans. Some of them looked as big as a school bus compared to the diminutive honey bees that were also out foraging for nectar and pollen in fields of pink, white and yellow- flowered radish plants. At first, the bees didn't seem bothered by my presence. But after five minutes, a jumbo bumble bee queen flew a figure of eight around my head. I took this as a signal that it was time for me to leave.