Life and death

Bees face so many perils, that it really is a wonder that they manage to stay alive.

There are natural enemies such as predatory wasps, jays, flycatchers, mockingbirds, praying mantids, spiders, parasitic insects. And, of course, different viruses.

Yesterday, it was upsetting to discover on a borage plant leaf a Phidippus spider that just killed a honey bee (see image below) . These garden spiders are jumping spiders that don't make webs.

Poor honey bee!

Much as I hate to find dead bees, I feel that it is better for the bee to die of a lethal spider sting than from being exposed to or ingesting an herbicide.

Interesting enough, while I took this image, just about 6 inches away, another honey bee approached a cluster of borage flowers (see image above).