heartache

I woke this morning thinking of the bee I couldn’t save yesterday. Not this one in the photo, but maybe it was him. I’ll never know for sure.

He drowned.
I found him in the pool and pulled him out. I was panicked, as my garden exists for these tiny creatures. As soon as I scooped him up, he moved a little. I gently blew on him to dry his wings and he raised them in thanks, still shaky on his legs. I quickly brought a small flower to his head and he put his tiny face into the pollen. He died moments later, with yellow pollen dusting his cheeks.

I don’t know that I will ever forget that moment.
My heart truly aches.

Note: we have water stations around the yard and floating foam flowers in the water, but some silly insects still miss those safe landing spots and drown in the very water they are trying to drink. Their wings get wet and the suction is too strong. Sometimes I find them floundering about and I save them. Sometimes I scoop their little bodies up and place them to be amongst the nearby plants, heartbroken again.