Day 282: As far as I am concerned, Mountain Bog Gentian (Gentiana calycosa) takes the prize for "blue." Normally emerging as one of the last flowers of the season, they are already appearing in the subalpine zone, dotting the meadows like bits of shattered sky. Bumblebees in particular are drawn to them. It's not uncommon for early-morning hikers to see fat, fuzzy bees emerging from the cups of the flowers after having had an unintentional "sleep-over" inside.
In this photo, you can see a furled flower at the one-o'clock position. The blossoms close at night or when the sky clouds over and rain threatens, and bees frequently find themselves trapped inside until the flower opens up again. A canny observer may hear buzzing among the buds when first light comes to the meadows and the bees begin struggling to throw off their "blankets," wanting to be out and about, collecting pollen. That said, I can't think of a better place for a Bumblebee to shelter from the rain than under a tightly furled sky-blue umbrella.
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