A giclee print on textured watercolor paper. The paper measures 8x10” for easy framing and the print area is 5x7”.

This drawing shows two types of my favorite wild beings, bumblebees and manzanita blossoms, and the special adaptation that characterizes their relationship. Manzanita blossoms are small with narrow openings that a lot of insects can’t get into. Bumblebees have developed a special technique for extracting the pollen - they hold onto the flower from below, and vibrate their bodies, shaking loose the pollen, which falls on to them. Manzanita isn’t the only plant the depends on buzz pollination - a lot of food crops do too. Blueberries, cranberries, eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes, all do a lot better with this type of pollination. Honeybees can’t do it - only lesser known species like bumblebees, orchid bees, and sweat bees. We have to promote a diversity of pollinators by protecting our native bee species! A lot of rare and specialized plants depend on them, and so do we.

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