{"id":106518,"date":"2022-09-25T03:34:59","date_gmt":"2022-09-25T09:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=106518"},"modified":"2022-09-25T03:40:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-25T09:40:15","slug":"roadside-western-honey-bee-and-rubber-rabbitbrush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/09\/25\/roadside-western-honey-bee-and-rubber-rabbitbrush\/","title":{"rendered":"Roadside Western Honey Bee and Rubber Rabbitbrush"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HoneyHoney Bee and Rubber Rabbitbrush \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted to share this photo of a roadside Western Honey Bee in a Rubber Rabbitbrush this morning because when I look at it I think of fall. Rubber Rabbitbrush<\/span><\/a> is currently in bloom, and Western Honey Bees and other native bees can be found buzzing around clumps of these native yellow wildflowers. Blooming from midsummer into fall, Rubber Rabbitbrush reminds me that days are gradually getting cooler in northern Utah.<\/p>\n

Two days ago, I noticed several large clumps of rabbitbrush next to one of the roads at Farmington Bay WMA. Bees were flying from clump to clump, gathering pollen to prepare for the cold weather ahead.<\/p>\n

During the winter, I will miss the bees and these wildflowers. I’ll still see the rabbitbrush but it will be covered in fluffy seeds and possibly snow. For now, I am enjoying the sunny yellow blossoms and observing the bees that they attract.<\/p>\n

Rubber Rabbitbrush is a perennial native to the arid regions of western North America. Western Honey Bees aren’t native to North America. These bees arrived here with human help and are now in decline in their native habitat in Europe.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Bee Happy!<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my insect and spider images. Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my wildflower, shrub and tree photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I wanted to share this photo of a roadside Western Honey Bee in a Rubber Rabbitbrush this morning because when I look at it I think of fall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":106514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1022,697,2548,13324,26,5347],"tags":[12235,2464,6513,6627,6098,7353,6097,6518,2549,13327,7801,4302,6853,4289,13326,5300,6100,13325,4307,5063],"class_list":["post-106518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-honey-bees","category-rubber-rabbitbrush","category-utah","category-wildflowers","tag-apis-mellifera","tag-bee","tag-bees","tag-bloom","tag-blooming","tag-blossoms","tag-ericameria-nauseosa","tag-flowering","tag-honey-bee","tag-honey-bees","tag-insect","tag-native","tag-nonnative","tag-rabbitbrush","tag-rabbitbrushes","tag-roadside","tag-rubber-rabbitbrush","tag-western-honey-bee","tag-wildflowers","tag-yellow-wildflowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/western-honey-bee-rubber-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-6932.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-rI2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":95738,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/29\/clouded-sulphur-butterfly-and-rabbitbrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":0},"title":"Clouded Sulphur Butterfly And Rabbitbrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I got lucky at one rabbitbrush when I found a Clouded Sulphur butterfly nectaring on what I believe is a Rubber Rabbitbrush.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clouded Sulphur butterfly nectaring on Rabbitbrush, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clouded-sulphur-butterfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-6367.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clouded-sulphur-butterfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-6367.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clouded-sulphur-butterfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-6367.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/clouded-sulphur-butterfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-6367.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":116847,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/07\/black-footed-drone-fly-on-rabbitbrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":1},"title":"Black-footed Drone Fly On Rabbitbrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While out in the West Desert two days ago, I photographed this adult Black-footed Drone Fly, a member of the hoverfly family, on a rabbitbrush.","rel":"","context":"In "Black-footed Drone Flies"","block_context":{"text":"Black-footed Drone Flies","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/black-footed-drone-flies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Autumn Black-footed Drone Fly, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Black-footed-Drone-Fly-hoverfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcperson-2288.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Black-footed-Drone-Fly-hoverfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcperson-2288.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Black-footed-Drone-Fly-hoverfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcperson-2288.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Black-footed-Drone-Fly-hoverfly-rabbitbrush-mia-mcperson-2288.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54143,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/09\/15\/cutest-bee-flies-in-the-world-on-rabbitbrush-curlycup-gumweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":2},"title":"Cutest Bee Flies in the World on Rabbitbrush & Curlycup Gumweed","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed some of the cutest, fuzzy Bee Flies in the world this week nectaring on Rabbitbrush and Curlycup Gumweed in the Stansbury Mountains of the West Desert.","rel":"","context":"In "Bee Flies"","block_context":{"text":"Bee Flies","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/bee-flies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bee Fly nectaring on rabbitbrush - Possibly Bombyliinae - Anastoechus? Stansbury Mountains, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bee-fly-on-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-7642.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bee-fly-on-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-7642.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bee-fly-on-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-7642.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/bee-fly-on-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-7642.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48538,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/09\/20\/adult-western-meadowlark-on-blooming-rabbitbrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":3},"title":"Adult Western Meadowlark on Blooming Rabbitbrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This Western Meadowlark perched on a blooming Rabbitbrush the first September after I had moved to Utah and I was thrilled to take this photograph on Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Western Meadowlark on blooming rabbitbrush on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-5286.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-5286.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-5286.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rabbitbrush-mia-mcpherson-5286.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60673,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/05\/west-desert-wandering-birds-bees-and-blooms\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":4},"title":"West Desert Wandering – Birds, Bees, And Blooms","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 5, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though I came home with very few photos I'm still glad I went wandering. I had great views, sunshine, birds to delight my eyes and ears and I soaked it all up like a thirsty sponge.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dark-eyed Junco - Small in the frame, Stansbury Mountains, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-4121.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-4121.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-4121.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/dark-eyed-junco-oregon-mia-mcpherson-4121.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":94403,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/03\/western-honey-bee-and-common-mullein-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":106518,"position":5},"title":"Western Honey Bee And Common Mullein Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Both Common Mullein and the Western Honey Bee are introduced, non-native species yet I can't resist photographing them when given the opportunity.","rel":"","context":"In "Honey Bees"","block_context":{"text":"Honey Bees","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/honey-bees\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Western Honey Bee gathering pollen from a Common Mullein, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-honeybee-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6423.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-honeybee-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6423.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-honeybee-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6423.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-honeybee-mullein-mia-mcpherson-6423.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}