Name of flower please

[Bcrazy]

Can anyone please name this plant for me.
Thank you.

 

[Moggs]

Sandra? Sorry - couldn't resist it...

 

[RoofTops]

It's an iris of some sort. You might find it on this page although not all of them have piccys. http://www.britishirissociety.org.uk/index.html Look in the A-Z Guide on the left of the page.

It is quite short from the picture so may be some sort of so called species iris, i.e. a wild iris, but much more likely to be some sort of cultivar I think.

PS: Might be Reticulata Iris "Blooms in Feruary, harbingers of Spring"

 

[FenBee]

I agree with RoofTops and it is a Spring Iris.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hey Moggs you are very clever to know her name very clver have a gold star.

Remainder thank you.

Mo

 

[cak29]

I've got these coming up in my garden as well, looking really pretty, planted them from bulb 2 years ago, they are Dwarf Early Spring Iris, probably have a latin name, but afraid can't remember what was on the packet.

 

[MODNOD]

Common name Dutch iris, grows from a bulb.

 

[Skyhook]

Iris reticulata. Lots of cultivars of that, all pretty similar. A little darling.

 

[Bcrazy]

Thankyou all for your contributions sorry I can't give out any more gold stars.

Mo
Do any of you know how this flower gets the bee to collect pollen (I say this as its not in the usual manner)?

 

[Hombre]

I would hazard a guess, as you appear to be asking as a test of our knowledge and not because you don't know, although I may be wrong on both counts, that the bee is expected to follow the yellow path and the flower being triggered into dobbing pollen onto the bees back.

Thank goodness that you haven't got any gold stars left . . . whew!

Are you still looking for spent queens this year for dissection, or did you find out all you needed last year?

 

[Bcrazy]

Hey Hombre
You are spot on and if you listen carefully you might hear her singing "Follow the Yellow brick road", the bee lands on the wings of the flower and triggers the anthers to be dropped down on to the bees back. Depositing the pollen grains on her back.
Another snippet, when a bee (forager) prepares for the daily round of flowers she will intake some honey and store it in the Honey crop for use during foraging. When she begins to collect the pollen grains and transfer them to the rear leg she sticks the pollen grains with some of the stored honey from the crop, along with bacteria, Lactial Acid Bacteria is also produced in the honey crop and the purpose of this bacteria is to stop the germination of the pollen grain, it also lowers the pH in the packed pollen grains. Another piece of useless information for you.

Mo

 

[Bcrazy]

Members please try to remember that when you change your queens please send me the old ones alive in a match box or some container

Thank you all.

Mo

 

[Skyhook]

Another snippet, when a bee (forager) prepares for the daily round of flowers she will intake some honey and store it in the Honey crop for use during foraging. When she begins to collect the pollen grains and transfer them to the rear leg she sticks the pollen grains with some of the stored honey from the crop, along with bacteria, Lactial Acid Bacteria is also produced in the honey crop and the purpose of this bacteria is to stop the germination of the pollen grain, it also lowers the pH in the packed pollen grains. Another piece of useless information for you.

Mo

For something with a brain the size of a pinhead, they never cease to astonish!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are these Iris worth planting along with crocuses,then?

 

[Bcrazy]

Hey Skyhook,
I am not sure where you are getting your information from about the bee brain but I can assure you its a dam sight bigger than a pin head. I would estimate it takes up at least 2/3 of the head as a lot of space is taken up by the ommatidium which connect to the brain.
Look up Snodgrss re brain.

Mo

 

[Hombre]

Thanks Mo.

RE Snodgrass, Anatomy of the Honey Bee. 1912. signal text on the subject.
Downloaded here.

168 page PDF, it takes a short while.

 

[blackbrood]

Can anyone please name this plant for me.
Thank you.

I would say Iris reticulata, they should be about 8inch high and no more.

I think the variety might be "cantab", might be

Some one suggested Dutch iris, these are very similar but stand at 18-24inch and flower in the summer. I have Dutch iris in my garden and they are beautiful.

BB

 

[DarynWebb]

I picked up some Dutch iris cheap at my local pound shop 2 packets for the price of one, 24 bulbs very cheap

 

[Skyhook]

Hey Skyhook,
I am not sure where you are getting your information from about the bee brain but I can assure you its a dam sight bigger than a pin head. I would estimate it takes up at least 2/3 of the head as a lot of space is taken up by the ommatidium which connect to the brain.
Look up Snodgrss re brain.

Mo

Forgot to mention, I always write in marker pen

You may find I'm a bit prone to poetic licence; although to be fair mine has now got six points on it!

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Skyhook
You have one up on me here my friend as I don't have a clue what your on about.
Please explain in simple language as I am prone to being as thick as two short railway sleepers.

Best wishes

Mo