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02/09/2008


my photo

ANTIRRHINUM AND BUMBLEBEE

The plants are pollinated by bumblebees, and the flowers close over the insects when they enter and deposit pollen on their bodies. The bee in my photo had a very orange hairy back, anyone good at bee identification?

I was encouraged by the lady tending the plants in B&Q to buy this large pot of white Antirrhinum for half price! I am so glad I did, after initially deadheading, there have been lots more flowers and more to come, and hopefully be able to treat as a perennial and use next year? Remember calling these plants bunny rabbits, when you were small?

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely - and what a bargain!
Karen

Amanda and Tim said...

How beautiful - I loved these as a child and love them still. I have never heard of them being called Bunny rabbits though - we always called them snap-dragons and I used to adore snapping the dragons mouths open and shut hehe

Anonymous said...

*puts in magnyfying eye-glass*
Ah yes! Yes, Louise, what we have here is a bumblebee... yes...definitely a bumblebee. ;o)
.
Great picture Louise!

Anonymous said...

~ Louise ~
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and commenting . . . i can't tell you how much i appreciated what you said . . your visit was at the right time --because i followed the links to your blogs and saw the BWO notice.
i LOVE what you said there
recently i had been thinking of throwing my blog away because i have so many other interests and i felt "obligated" to blog and "guilty" because i havne't had time to visit my friends blogs these days . . .however . . .
Your words were honey to my soul.
THANK YOU

Marie said...

What a lovely picture. What full pollen bags!

Suburbia said...

Oooh he does have a hairy back! I've never noticed that on a bee before!

life in red shoes said...

We have always called them snapdragons. When you pinch the sides, they snap open and shut!

Suzanne said...

I was trying to remember the name of the plant and then I looked at the comment above, we used to call them snap dragons as well.
The bee is very orange do you know if there is a reason or is he a little different.

Selfsewn said...

snapdragons. I bought my mum a bouquet recently that had snapdragons, they looked so nice I thought I might grow some next year!! I cant wait!

Clare

Simone said...

We used to call them bunny rabbits when I was small too. We would squeeze the flower in the middle and watch its little bunny head move up and down! I can't help on the bee identification though!

walter and me said...

Don't recall them being referred to as bunny rabbits! Beautiful photograph - the bee shows up so clearly against the white.

Sal said...

It's a beautiful photo Louise..glad you got a bargain!;-)

Lavinia said...

These snapdragons look like popcorn!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I don't think we called them bunny rabbits, but I will from now on!

Christy Amular said...

What a very industrious Mr. Bumblebee! I like bees but I'm quite afraid to observe them at close range!

HAWTHORN HALL said...

I have never seen this lovely plant and wonder if we have it here in Canada. Thank you for sharing this information about it.

Gillian

kari and kijsa said...

Beautiful! Haven't heard the bunny rabbits name- neat! blessings,
kari & kijsa

Anonymous said...

I remember my nan calling them bunny rabbits and showing me how to open and close the "mouths". They are particularly beautiful ones aren't they?

Elizabeth said...

Snapdragons!
Put your finger in its mouth and snap!

life in red shoes said...

missing your posts.

Mrs Mac said...

I found your blog from Bumblevee's place. Glad I did :) I've recognised lots of friends that hang about my garden too- woodmouse, sparrowhawk, frogs, goldfinch!

As for these flowers, my dad calls them bunnies' ears and my mum calls them snapdragons. I grew toadflax this year and it is so similar they must be related!

Tree Nursery said...

I love the birds and bees and the butterflies too. I love to see them feasting off the blooms.

Online Nursery said...

I'm wondering if this type plant also wouldn't attract a hummingbird or two? Or maybe a pretty monarch.