I couldn’t resist the name on the first photo because, yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd. And although bumble bees don’t really have anything to do with Harry Potter, I’m also a bug nerd. I’m very happy to be seeing quite a few of them now that the blackjack flowers are blooming. The eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) is probably my very favorite bee because it is fluffy and fuzzy and generally very docile. Often when I’m photographing them I could reach out and touch them. I don’t because I don’t like to stress my subjects and because I’m mildly allergic to bee and wasp stings, so why risk it. I also really enjoy having them around because they are fabulous pollenators. Between their fuzzy bodies, their large size, and the fact that they are pretty indiscriminate about what flowers they’ll feed on, they’re one of the best pollinators around. Of course, they’re also fun to photograph.