This flower isn't big enough for both of us

Even when there isn't a crab spider lurking in ambush, a flower can be a rough spot for a bee.  Nectar and pollen are often in short supply and competition for these limited resources can be intense.  Bees start foraging very early in the morning (as long as it is warm and clear), but this is not enough.  Once a bee finds a rewarding flower, it must defend against newcomers that would poach its hard-sought prize.

Two bumble bees (Bombus spp.) competing for space on a flower kick at each other.

The coneflower (Echinacea sp.) pictured above wasn't big enough for the two bumble bees (Bombus spp.), which kicked out at each other until one abandoned the flower.  To see the full action of another bumble bee kick-boxing match, watch the video below.

* To see this video in high definition (1080p), you may need to (1) click "YouTube" to watch on the YouTube website and (2) change the settings at the bottom of the video screen.