{"id":115523,"date":"2023-08-30T04:24:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T10:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=115523"},"modified":"2023-08-31T04:05:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T10:05:56","slug":"musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-in-the-wasatch-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/30\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Musk Thistle And Bumble Bee In The Wasatch Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning, I’m sharing a simple image of a Musk Thistle and a bumblebee that I photographed two days ago in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MuskMusk Thistle with a bumble bee<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m not certain about the bumblebee’s identification; I only know that it is a bumblebee. I didn’t have time to research the species.<\/p>\n

The Musk Thistle is non-native, but I’m always delighted to see our native bees, beetles, and other insects on these bright pink flowers.<\/p>\n

Currently, our native bee populations are declining due in part to indiscriminate insecticide and chemical use and habitat destruction. It no longer matters to me whether the bees obtain what they need from native or non-native wildflowers.<\/p>\n

Simply put, what matters to me is that they survive humankind’s attack on them and nature.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

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

This morning, I’m sharing a simple image of a Musk Thistle and a bumblebee that I photographed two days ago in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":115519,"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":[4594,13067,26,773,5347],"tags":[6627,6098,6663,5940,10326,9938,3940,6623,6518,1799,4069,6622,6044,6853,5064,2315,6626,6624,4307],"class_list":["post-115523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-morgan-county","category-musk-thistle","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","category-wildflowers","tag-bloom","tag-blooming","tag-blossom","tag-bumble-bee","tag-bumble-bees","tag-bumblebees","tag-canyon","tag-carduus-nutans","tag-flowering","tag-insects","tag-mountains","tag-musk-thistle","tag-nectaring","tag-nonnative","tag-pink-wildflowers","tag-summer-3","tag-thistle","tag-thistles","tag-wildflowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-mia-mcpherson-9036.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-u3h","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91816,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/08\/surprise-pine-siskin\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":0},"title":"Surprise Pine Siskin","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was high in the Wasatch Mountains photographing bees on a Musk Thistle when a Pine Siskin landed on the flower.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Pine Siskin on a Musk Thistle close up, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pine-siskin-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-8316.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pine-siskin-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-8316.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pine-siskin-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-8316.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pine-siskin-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-8316.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92845,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/08\/02\/blooming-common-mullein-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":1},"title":"Blooming Common Mullein Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago in between taking Willow Flycatcher photos\u00a0 in the Wasatch Mountains I took blooming Common Mullein images because they were nearby.","rel":"","context":"In "Hunt's Bumble Bees"","block_context":{"text":"Hunt's Bumble Bees","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/hunts-bumble-bees\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Common Mullein and two bumble bees, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/common-mullein-bumble-bees-and-ant-mia-mcpherson-1689.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/common-mullein-bumble-bees-and-ant-mia-mcpherson-1689.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/common-mullein-bumble-bees-and-ant-mia-mcpherson-1689.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/common-mullein-bumble-bees-and-ant-mia-mcpherson-1689.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53260,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/29\/female-great-spangled-fritillary-nectaring-on-musk-thistle-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":2},"title":"Female Great Spangled Fritillary Nectaring on Musk Thistle in the Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week while I was up in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains I spotted a female Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly nectaring on a Musk Thistle so I felt I had to take photos of she sipped the nectar of the flower.","rel":"","context":"In "Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies"","block_context":{"text":"Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/great-spangled-fritillary-butterflies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Spangled Fritillary female on a Musk Thistle, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104304,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/16\/early-july-wildflowers-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":3},"title":"Early July Wildflowers In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to share some of the wildflowers I photographed in the first part of July that I have found in Summit and Morgan Counties high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flowering Parsnipflower Buckwheat, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52959,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/07\/male-american-goldfinch-feasting-on-musk-thistle-seeds\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":4},"title":"Male American Goldfinch Feasting On Musk Thistle Seeds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 7, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"A flash of yellow, black and white on a purple flower immediately drew my eyes to a male American Goldfinch feasting on the seeds of a Musk Thistle so I stopped, turned my Jeep off and proceeded to photograph the bird.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Goldfinch with flying thistle fluff, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-1860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-1860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-1860.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/american-goldfinch-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-1860.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53237,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/27\/american-goldfinch-perched-on-a-dried-musk-thistle-blossom-short-video-clip\/","url_meta":{"origin":115523,"position":5},"title":"American Goldfinch Perched on a dried Musk Thistle Blossom & Short Video Clip","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I am keeping it short and sweet and sharing one photo of a male American Goldfinch perched on a dried Musk Thistle blossom plus a short video clip I took of him as he lifted off and flew away.","rel":"","context":"In "American Goldfinches"","block_context":{"text":"American Goldfinches","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/finches-and-allies\/american-goldfinches\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male American Goldfinch perched on a dried Musk Thistle blossom, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-goldfinch-male-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6584.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-goldfinch-male-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6584.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-goldfinch-male-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6584.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-goldfinch-male-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6584.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\/115523","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=115523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115523\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}