Busy Pussy Willow Bush

Spring has definitely sprung in our neck of the woods! Today the temperature surged to 71! The pussy willow bush was loaded with honeybees. It was fun to watch them flying about, sacks of pollen sticking to their legs. I wish I knew where their hive is, but it is probably a farmer's field on the other side of the ridge. I know that honeybees travel far and wide to gather their pollen. Two zebra swallowtail butterflies (presumably male and female) also flitted about the bush and actually landed together so that I could get a family portrait!

Eastern Black Swallowtail

I'm going to call these Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies, although I'm not sure that's what they were. I took the pic last year and came across it again today. The zebra swallowtails are out now and I want to capture them on film. I was amazed at how these eastern blacks flew in sync.