The flowers don't quite look right to be a 'Lily of the Nile' ...

... probably a Blue Salvia.

I say Lily of the Nile, or agapantha!

Do we have a flower expert on the board?

Charlie

No expert ...

... but got my degree in Landscaping and Horticulture, worked at the Navet's Nursery chain here in Northern California as a store Manager for 9 years ... 4 years as the Graphics designer creating catalogs, description tiles, brochures, hand outs, sale posters, etc.) in their corporate office and have created 100's of computer landscape designs for our customers ... and also taught various 'seasonal' classes to the public.

I know a little bit about plants ... 😉 ... but I could be wrong on the Salvia, as there are many species of plants that have blue flowers, being the most prolific color in the plant world.

eodusmc, no worry from the africanized bees here in Michigan.

Also, while they are feeding, honeybees (I assume bumblebees would be as well) are very single-minded. They'll leave you along unless you threaten them or the hive. So, 428cj could have been closer than we think, but the macro work I did (albeit a long time ago) was 1'-3'.

-Wolfy

Slim

No expert either, but I just planted a bunch of those agapanthas (at least the gardener did) and that is what it looks like to me!

Now, do you want to fight over this and start calling each other names or what? LOL

Charlie

Agapanthas don't have 'hairy' petals, they are quite smooth, and the flowers above aren't 'star-like' or 'lily-like' ... but I won't argue with you.

http://www.broadleighbulbs.co.uk/images/spring/agapanthus/agabenhope2.jpg 

http://www.broadleighbulbs.co.uk/images/spring/agapanthus/agapurplecloud1.jpg 

You know ... 428cj could settle this ... 😉

Sorry, I have little to no idea what the flowers are I take pictures of, I just take the pictures. All I know about this one here is that there's a bee on the end of it!

As to the distance, the end of my lens was about six or so inches from the bee. I've found that they don't seem to care if I'm close, but if they do get upset I back off. While taking pictures of wasps (I'll try to find one to post here) I learned that it's all ok until they look at you. If their head turns to look up at me I know to back away. If I don't the next step is they take off and fly around me, and I've never stayed around to find out their intent after this!

Yes, wasps and some other stinging insects like yellow-jackets, are much more agressive. Even more dangerous, as they have smooth stingers which allow them the opportunity to sting you repeatedly. Honeybees, however, have a barbed stinger. Once they sting you, the stinger remains in you and as they fly away, part of their intestinal track, containing a venom sack, remains attached to the stinger. The sack pulses and continues to pump venom into the victim. It also releases a phermone that announces to other honeybees that there is a danger to the community/hive. This initiates a sort of stinging frenzey among nearby bees. So, if you are near a bee hive and get stung, chances are you will get 4-5 additional stings before you can get out of there. If it were a wasp nest, each of those 4-5 wasps would each sting you 4-5 times.

-Wolfy