No Monarchs, bumble bees ... Granny is 90!

I have been observing hundreds of milkweed plants in several colonies over the past week and still no monarchs, no eggs and no larva.  I will keep checking, hoping for some second wave butterflies to past by Allen County.

We do have a lot of bumble bees as well as other pollinators on our butterfly weed, butterfly plants, bee balm, cone flowers and other wildflower plantings. The picture below is one of the bumble bees we have visiting bee balm flowers.  Appears to be Bombus pensylvanicus (American bumble bee) but could be Bombus auricomus (Black and Gold Bumble bee) or maybe, Bombus terricola (Yellow banded bumble bee).  All look similar in my identification book.

The passion flower vines (maypop) are blooming and drawing their share of pollinators ... except none on this passion flower.

 
Granny (my wife's mother and teacher in Allen County for 39 years) had her 90th birthday last week.  A picture of the family below and one of some honey we gave out to guests to take home.  Over 250 friends and relatives attended her birthday party and reception.  Granny had a great time visiting many of her former students.