Something a bit different today. None of these pix were taken within Spring Creek Basin, but they were taken outside the basin in Disappointment Valley (the basin is a tiny corner still considered part of the valley). … Do lizards and bees count as fauna?!
When I saw this little critter on the edge of the road, I wondered whether it was alive. It was completely still, and though somewhat flattened, not *squished*. I took some pix and went on my way. When I returned about 30 minutes later, it scampered away as I approached! I was startled but relieved! I so love these little critters (this is not the brightest collared lizard I’ve seen, and it was little/short, which makes me think it might have been a youngster).
This bee on this sunflower is different than THIS bee on THIS sunflower:
The top bee was just a little bitty bee, and the bottom bee was a great big gigantic bee! Both were so completely immersed in their bizziness of pollen gathering that I was able to hold my phone quite close to them to snap pix (I took multiple to try to get some sharp – voila!).
Follow this link to a recent Colorado Sun article about bee research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory near Gothic (near Crested Butte), Colorado.
I don’t know a thing about bees, but the article is fascinating … and bees are, too. I’m glad they’re doing their bizziness here in Disappointment Valley!
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
Fascinating research !
Agreed!
I love “all the creatures great and small” of Disappointment Valley and love all your photos that bring them to us! Collared lizards are one of my faves…those bees aren’t bad either! 😊
Oh, I love that: “all the creatures great and small … of Disappointment Valley.” 🙂 (I LOVE James Herriot’s books!) And I love those sweet turquoise lizards, too – and the bees. They seem very gentle after all!
WOW! That lizard is really great! His tail is longer than his body! I think the large bee might be a bumble bee! Just love all the nature shots! Thanks,TJ!
I thought so, too, about its tail. I’ve never seen one curled around like that before … which was one thing that made me wonder about its “health” when I first saw it. Those bees sure were bizzy and apparently loving all that pollen!
Cute little guy! The flowers are fantastic. Thanks for the article – it IS interesting!
Always things to learn from Ma Nature. 🙂
Love the flowers and busy bees. They must be dizzy with honey 🍯
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It does make me wonder where their hives are?
What a beautiful, beautiful lizard.
They’re superb little dinosaurs! 🙂
All of this is so colorful! Bees are here ,birds are here loving the Sunflowers and the Holly Hocks. Fun to watch.
Love the big lizard!
Summer bounty, eh? 🙂 All reminders of the season.