The early bee gets the nectar

Though the European wool carder bees were visiting leaves, most of the bees in the garden were focused on flowers.  On sunny (and very hot) afternoons, the garden was full of bumble bees, honey bees, and a variety of smaller, solitary bees.  However, not all flowers -- even on the same plant -- were equally attractive to these bees.

Sedum flowers in full bloom.

Some, particularly the smaller bees, would pass over wide open flowers, electing to squeeze their way into those flowers that were just beginning to open.

A small bee visiting an opening sedum flower.

The bee emerging from the sedum flower.

Although more difficult to access, these flowers were more likely to have a fresh supply of nectar and pollen available to the bees.  Certainly, the two bees pictured here had been quite successful in collecting pollen -- just see the yellow legs of the bee above and the orange underside of the bee below.

A leafcutter or mason bee (Megachilidae) visiting a lupine flower.