Mimosas, Bumblebees and Hummingbirds

 

 

When we first moved into the house we now own, a scraggly “weed” started growing in a shrub bed on the southeast side of the house.  Being of a mind set where a “weed is just a misplaced plant,” I often let something grow until I can identify it, I left the scraggly plant. And I’m sure glad I did!  It turned out to be a mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), a tree I’ve seen quite  often and admired greatly in more tropical areas,  like Florida where it can be very invasive, but never thought it would grow here in an arid desert climate.  I don't remember seeing one anywhere near the house so am not sure how the seed that ended up in the shrub bed.  Since it sprouted fairly close to an irrigation mister head, it grew fairly quickly and is now, almost 9 years later, a beautifully arching tree that attracts a wide variety of pollinators.  An added bonus is that the mimosa smells heavenly, especially in the cool of the morning.  I know sometime in the not too distant future, we'll have to cut it down because we don't want the roots to mess with the house's foundation and sidewalk.  But for now, I'll definitely enjoy it.     

 

 

 

The mimosa tree in all its beautiy nestled in with some evergreens and palms.

 

 

A few mornings ago, I visited the mimosa tree and decided to take a few photos of whatever appeared on it.  Many, many bumblebees, probably Bombus pensylvanicus, were busy buzzing around and nectaring from the wispy pink flowers, most with huge yellow pollen sacs on their hind legs.  Glad to see so many because, along with honey bees, bumblebee populations are taking a nosedive all across their ranges or are not found at all; they're now comsidered a vulnerable species.  Then rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) showed up, first a juvenile and then a female.  Being tiny and almost fearless, they darted around, sipping nectar while I was desperately trying to keep them in focus and get some photos.  Rufous hummingbirds don't breed here, but stop by for several weeks when they're migrating, which they are now.  Many other pollinators stop by the tree and I hope to add their photos to my mimosa tree “inventory.”  

 

I hope you enjoy these photos.

 

 

 

Black and yellow bumblees are very frequent visitors to the mimosa tree.  They're probably Bombus pensylvanica.

 

 

 

Look at the large pollen sac on the bumblebee's back leg!

 

 

 

This bumblebee was just lifting off after nectaring from the mimosa flowers.

 

 

 

Juvenile black-chinned hummingbird.

 

 

 

A female rufous hummingbird came up, not scared of me at all.  The males of this species have a fiery orange red throat - am hoping to get a photo of one.

 

 

 

The female rufous hummingbird checking out a group of mimosa flowers.

 

 

 

The female rufous nectaring!

 

 

I plan on sharing more about the mimosa tree if I can get decent photos of other species who stop by.  And I do plan on planting a mimosa somewhere in the backyard where it's not hemmed on one side by the house.  Such a beautiful tree that provides nectaring stops for so many different species of wildlife.

I hope you enjoyed these photos.  If you would like to make my day, please leave a blog comment.  And any promotion you can do will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

 

 

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