21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A Bumblebee and ant collecting nectar and pollen from a Rose of Sharon flower.

I noticed a wooden arm of a clothes pole covered with a fine granular powder. Next to the clothes pole was a large Rose of Sharon plant. Bees were flying from the flowers to the top of the clothes pole and were shaking off pollen. I looked at the flowers and discovered one flower with a bumble bee and ant. They both were sharing the nectar and pollen.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Copyright: © Walter Mizwa