#Rocky Mountain beeplant

[colorsoutofearth]

Rocky Mountain beeplant (Cleome serrulata) and yellow sunflowers (Hellianthus spp.), Flagstaff, Arizona

Photos by Jack Dykinga

[ambermaitrejean]

Rocky Mountain beeplant. August in Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Commerce City, Colorado. Photo by Amber Maitrejean

[rabbitcruiser]

Vernal/Spring Equinox

The March Equinox is an annual celebration that occurs on March 20. In the Northern Hemisphere, the March Equinox is referred to as the vernal equinox. It marks the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the Sun’s crossing above the Earth’s equator, moving from south to north. Like all equinoxes, the March equinox is distinctive in that it has almost exactly the equal amount of daylight and nights across many latitudes of Earth.

History of March Equinox

Wherever you may be on Earth, the equinox brings us several seasonal effects which have been noticeable to nature lovers around the globe for years. The word ‘equinox’ originates from two Latin words: ‘aequus’ meaning equal and ‘nox’ meaning night. The literal meaning is ‘equal night.’ Our ancestors, who had far less precise timekeeping than we do, believed that night and day were equal. But today we know this is not true.

People have been celebrating the March Equinox for centuries and since it is associated with spring the festivals tend to celebrate fertility and agriculture. The Romans used this day to celebrate their goddess Cybele who has driven around in a chariot drawn by lions. Ancient Persia in roughly 550 B.C., celebrated the vernal equinox as Nowruz, their New Year. Modern Iranians still celebrate this time as their New Year. During the era of the Shang Dynasty, which ruled China from 1600 to 1046 B.C., it was believed that the spring equinox marked a mythic beginning, a type of ‘start of their line.’ Jews in the 12th Century believed that the spring equinox marked the day in the year in which the Biblical plague that turned Egypt’s water into blood occurred.

The festival of ‘Holi’ is the March equinox festival in India. This is celebrated in honor of various Hindu deities and legends. It signals the triumph of Good vs Evil, the most notable being the legend of Krishna and Rhada. Ancient cultures had great awareness of nature, the seasons, and the movement of the celestial bodies. Many built sites that had a glaringly obvious use: that of a calendar. These were often aligned to display shafts of sunlight during solstices and equinoxes. Examples of these are Chichen Itza in Mexico, Mnajdra Temples in Malta, and Stonehenge in England.

March Equinox timeline

Before the year 68 B.C.The Sun Lines Up in Aries

The sun lines up with Aries on the spring equinox but in 2567 the sun will line up with the constellation Aquarius.

2700 B.C.The Egyptian Easter Monday

Sham el-Nessim is an ancient Egyptian holiday that can be traced back to 2700 B.C.

1582The Gregorian Calendar Created

The Gregorian calendar is created and is based on the March equinox, falling from March 11 to March 21, the date it occurred in 325 CE.

1948Japanese Make Holiday Secular

In Japan, those who practiced Shintoism used the March equinox to honor their ancestors.

March Equinox FAQs

What happens during the March equinox?

During this time the Sun will cross the celestial equator from the south to the north.

What is the spiritual meaning?

Tradition states that this is the time to cleanse out old energy at home and with oneself.

Why is equinox important?

Equinox is important because it points to changing seasons.

March Equinox Activities

Spring Clean

Do some gardening

Visit ancient sites

The March equinox is the perfect time to give your house an overhaul. Start by decluttering your house.

Growth symbolizes triumph over death and being reborn therefore it has become a tradition to plant seeds at this time of the year. Add some colorful flowers to your garden to celebrate spring.

Various ancient sites are linked to March equinox celebrations and traditions. Pack a bag, call a friend or two and set out on an adventure.

5 Facts About The March Equinox

The sun rises and sets the fastest

Spring occurs on two different days

It’s Mother's day

It marks the middle of Spring

It signals the start of a festival

The fastest sunsets and sunrises occur during this time of the year.

There are two different calendars: the astronomical and the meteorological calendar. If we go by the astronomical calendar, spring will fall on March 20 but if we go by the other, spring will occur on March 1.

In Arab countries, Mother's Day is often observed on the March equinox.

In East Asian countries the March equinox marks the halfway point of spring.

Boatyard employees and sailboat owners in the U.S hold the Burning of the Socks festival where socks are burnt to celebrate the warmer weather.

Why We Love March Equinox

It is celebrated around the world

It signals new beginnings

Days are longer

The March equinox is celebrated by many cultures around the world. We love that it has a unifying factor.

The March equinox symbolizes growth and new beginnings. It is a clear marker of the change from winter to spring.

Along with longer days, the weather starts to warm up as well. Nature reflects this change with the blooming of new flowers and plants.

Source

[herpsandfriends]

like please just read the wikipedia page about wasps they're incredibly interesting and unique and outright hatred for an entire order of life because a german yellowjacket stung you once to protect it's home is ridiculous

here's a pollen wasp pollinating a penstemon

image source

one more thing, bees and ants ARE wasps

anyways here's some photos i took of european paper wasps (Polistes dominula) pollinating some rocky mountain beeplant (Cleome serrulata)

i love you wasps i love you flies i love you beetles i love you moths i love you non-bee pollinators i love you "uncharismatic" organisms who nonetheless carry our ecosystem on your backs

[americasgreatoutdoors]

Wisdom is gained by observing the natural world. It comes to you as you are patient and observant. Bird’s in flight, an ant in work- the internal cues of their instinct. Wisdom is accessing the value in your life and learning lessons in. It’s not from age but paying attention. - Diné elder, Jayne Talk-Sanchez

When we take the time to listen and notice small things in nature we walk away with wisdom. Here a male rufous hummingbird flits to feed at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming, taking a sip of nectar from Rocky Mountain beeplant. Photo by Tom Koerner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[riverwindphotography]

A busy honeybee feeds on Rocky Mountain Beeplant (Cleome serrulata): (c) riverwindphotography, August 2020

[typhlonectes]

White-lined sphinx moth or Hummingbird moth (Hyles lineata) nectaring on Rocky Mountain beeplant at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming, USA.

photograph by Tom Koerner/USFWS

[dendroica]

Gray-crowned rosy-finch at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (via USFWS Mountain-Prairie)

a gray-crowned rosy-finch at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge shakes the last few seeds from a Rocky Mountain beeplant.

Photo: Tom Koerner/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[nonbinary-nature-lover-jeri]

Scenes From My Walk - Rocky Mountain Beeplant “(Cleome serrulata) (syn. Peritoma serrulata), commonly known as Rocky Mountain beeplant/beeweed, stinking-clover, bee spider-flower, skunk weed, Navajo spinach, and guaco, is a species of annual plant in the genus Cleome. Many species of insects are attracted to it, especially bees, which helps in the pollination of nearby plants. It is native to southern Canada and the western and central United States. The plant has often been used for food, to make dyes for paint, and as a treatment in traditional medicine.” - Wikipedia #ScenesFromMyWalk #RockyMountainBeePlant #RockyMountainBeeWeed #BeeSpiderFlower #Wildflowers #GrowingByTheSidewalk #NewMexicoWildflowers (at Santa Fe, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf__IH6Ainw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[inkandalchemy]

Rocky Mountain Beeplant. 🐝 (at Aragon, New Mexico)

[backyardbeehive]

Rocky Mountain #BeePlant ~ #cleomeserrulata #macro #flowersandmacro #purpleflowers #instaflower #wheredembeesat #morebeesplease https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnmho-jHc1j/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16fdwyt6cz4d0

[spring--fling]

Broad-tailed hummingbird at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge by USFWS Mountain-Prairie Via Flickr: An adult female broad-tailed hummingbird nectars on Rocky Mountain beeplant at Seedskadee NWR. Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS

[typhlonectes]

Broad-tailed hummingbird feeding on Rocky Mountain beeplant at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming, USA.

photograph by Tom Koerner/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

[dendroica]

Nevada Bumble Bee (Bombus nevadensis) on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (via USFWS Mountain-Prairie)

Rocky Mountain beeplant (Cleome serrulata) is starting to bloom. It is listed as a weed in many places, even though it is one of the native plants collected by Lewis and Clark. It is also called Rocky Mountain beeweed, stinking-clover, bee spider-flower, and skunk weed. It can grow in disturbed sites and in some very tough soils and conditions. As its name implies, all types of bees are attracted to it and whenever we find it on Seedskadee NWR in flower, it is covered up with all sorts of other insects as well. In this photo, a Nevada bumble bee collects pollen and sips nectar. Once the seeds mature and drop, birds and small mammals feed on them. It is a prolific seed producer, so the seeds that make it into the soil keep this annual plant around each year.

Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS

[nonbinary-nature-lover-jeri]

Scenes From My Walk - Rocky Mountain Beeplant “(Cleome serrulata) (syn. Peritoma serrulata), commonly known as Rocky Mountain beeplant/beeweed, stinking-clover, bee spider-flower, skunk weed, Navajo spinach, and guaco, is a species of annual plant in the genus Cleome. Many species of insects are attracted to it, especially bees, which helps in the pollination of nearby plants. It is native to southern Canada and the western and central United States. The plant has often been used for food, to make dyes for paint, and as a treatment in traditional medicine.” - Wikipedia #ScenesFromMyWalk #RockyMountainBeePlant #RockyMountainBeeWeed #BeeSpiderFlower #Wildflowers #GrowingByTheSidewalk #NewMexicoWildflowers (at Santa Fe, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfxKAtDPuGM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[typhlonectes]

White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) nectaring on Rocky Mountain beeplant at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming, USA

photograph by Tom Koerner/USFWS