Apis melliferaDark Apis mellifera Apis mellifera — Captured flora moments Acacia ligulata Black Pigweed Cape Honeysuckle Citrus Convolvulus cneorum Convolvulus sabatius Duranta Echinacea purpurea Eremophila nivea Eremophila Wildberry Eucalyptus erythrocorys Eucalyptus orbifolia Gazania Gossypium sturtianum Hakea leucoptera Osteospermum Pomegranate Poppy Sturt’s Desert Pea Sweet Basil
This flowering shrub enjoyed by the European Honey Bee is Commonly known as Geisha Girl, belonging to the genus Duranta, species Duranta erecta (synonym Duranta repens). There are a number of other common names including Brazillian Sky Flower, Forget-me-not Bush, Golden Dew Drop, Golden Tears, and Pigeon Berry. A number of cultivars exist including Alba, Aurea, Aussie Gold, Gold Mount, Geisha Girl, Sapphire Showers and Variegata.
The European Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) can often be seen on the flowers of the Duranta.
As much as they love the Duranta I think it must be a drinking place. They don’t seem to collect pollen from the flowers but it must be a nourishing reward for their hard work collecting pollen from the other flowers.
Di Bickers, Nature Photos from My Garden
The Duranta is a fast growing, evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves and cascading branches. The purple (sometimes purple-bluish) flowers have slight wrinkly white edges, that are followed by orange-yellow berries. Both leaves and berries are poisonous, and have been reported to have killed dogs and cats.2
Photographs © Di Bickers, Nature Photos from My Garden
Footnote & References
- Photographs © Di Bickers, Nature Photos from My Garden, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086275255680
- Duranta erecta, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duranta_erecta
- Skyflower (Duranta erecta), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/162153-Duranta-erecta
- Duranta, Duranta erecta, Weed Identification Tool, Brisbane City Council, https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/duranta
Apis melliferaDark Apis mellifera Apis mellifera — Captured flora moments Acacia ligulata Black Pigweed Cape Honeysuckle Citrus Convolvulus cneorum Convolvulus sabatius Duranta Echinacea purpurea Eremophila nivea Eremophila Wildberry Eucalyptus erythrocorys Eucalyptus orbifolia Gazania Gossypium sturtianum Hakea leucoptera Osteospermum Pomegranate Poppy Sturt’s Desert Pea Sweet Basil
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