Athena Rayne Anderson

(Phyllis Stiles photo by Joye Ardyn Durham)

Phyllis created Bee City – USA in Asheville, NC in 2012 out of a desire to make a difference for pollinators. This year, we celebrate Bee City’s 10 year anniversary and 400 Bee Cities and Bee Campuses across the country. What a legacy! Phyllis’ work has motivated me to find my own way of making a difference locally.

Thanks for being an inspiration, Phyllis!

In honor of Phyllis, here’s a video I made in Texas, near Franklin Mountains State Park. This is a male Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) patrolling his territory. He’s very seriously chasing off rival males and attempting to woo females, but he’s so cute that I can’t help giggling when I watch him. This species is interesting in that females are all black, but males are bright golden with green eyes!

@theNSLS, #theNSLS, #InspiringImpact, @PhyllisStiles