GREAT thread -- I had no interest in bees (actually, I'm a little scared of them, even if I know they aren't likely to sting

), until this week when I planted some anise hyssop in full bloom, and noticed DOZENS of big, fat, beautiful bumbles all over all five hyssops!
I had never seen a bumble bee on our property in the 3.5 years we've lived here -- it's amazing to me that I instantly have many of them (as well as a few other bee varieties buzzing around that I know hadn't been here before).
I do need to find out where they live, because I do children's portrait photography on our property and an accidental step on a bee's nest is surely an accident waiting to happen... still, I'm delighted to see such pretty bumble bees abuzz here!