A THOUSAND BEES
Four springs ago I captured a swarm of wild honeybees that had left their cottonwood tree home and clung to a branch across the Fire Mountain Canal. They eventually died of mites, but before they did they captured my undivided attention, and through photographing the honeybees I came to know a whole world of native bees.
This winter I sorted through around eight thousand images taken over the past four summers, and selected one thousand unique images of honeybees, bumblebees, and other native bees including leafcutters, orchard bees, and sweat bees. The world these pollinators have opened up to me brings joy and purpose to my life. The plants I choose for my garden can benefit these nearly four thousand species of sentient beings; why not garden for them? Everyone benefits.
“A Thousand Bees” opened on Earth Day, April 22, 2016, at The Hive in Paonia, Colorado, and ran for six weeks. This exhibit celebrates the imperiled native and non-native bee pollinators of Colorado, with one thousand unique images on display in various formats, including large and small framed prints, posters, mugs, greeting cards, and a native pollinator tote bag. The exhibit moves in mid-June to Doghouse Espresso and gallery in Delta, Colorado.
“From heavily-filled pollen basked to intricate dances, Rita Clagett’s photographs capture the lives of bees in all their colorful glory. In these intimate, sensitive portraits we see everything from their unique body structures to the important role they play in pollination,” ~ Christine Schleh Cock, Naturalist and Poet
A Few Hundred Bees
Some of these bees have appeared in my blog, but most are new on the page. Here are some of the Thousand Bees, Honeybees, Native Bees, and Bumblebees. I will add more bees over time. High resolution images and prints without the watermark are available for sale on Shop “A Thousand Bees” page.
HONEYBEES
NATIVE BEES
BUMBLEBEES
