Leaf cutter bees and, hey, isn't that a monarch?

The leaf cutter bees are back and I'm seeing them on many flowers in the garden.

Here are two leaf cutter bees, one about to land on the blossom of a Bishop's Children dahlia plant, another following closely behind.

Although the Bishop's Children dahlias are not California natives they attract many bees and butterflies.

And yes, that is a monarch butterfly to the right, sipping the nectar from another dahlia blossom, farther back on the plant. The monarch butterflies that we have been releasing as they emerge from their chrysalides are visiting the patio every day.

Here one of the leaf cutter bees is approaching the dahlia blossom from a different direction.

And the same monarch is still sipping nectar from the same blossom.