Bumble bees, however, unlike lichen, live such a short time, about 3 months. This one and I had a chance meeting last night at the lemon basil in the garden. I came to gather a few leaves for grilled fish; she came either to sleep or to die.The working members of a bumble bee hive live about a month. The stay-at-home types live longer.
She let me get very close to take her picture. She was barely moving. Perhaps her month was up. Or perhaps she was preparing to sleep--worker bees sometimes choose not to go home at night but to sleep where they forage--which makes me very curious about how they decide.
Is it intentional? Is it random? Is it an innate feeling she has--I want to breathe lemony basil all night and wake up in the morning covered in dew?
I came back early this morning and she was still there, still moving. Alleluia. I'll be pleased to learn when I come home from work if she's gone back to her foraging.
