Flowers go to a lot of trouble to help the birds and the bees do their job. It’s tempting to think that certain colors are especially attractive to pollinators; I’m absolutely certain that Japanese Beetles are partial to yellow roses and yellow Kerria blossoms, and the store-bought beetle traps are yellow, too. Bee Balm is vibrant pink or red, so that must be what bees prefer. But in fact, many insects see in black and white rather than in color. Flowers make up for this by having distinctive patterns to communicate where exactly a bee should be aiming. The Aquilegia or Columbine blossom atop which the bee is perched has a perfect target to guide its helper. Many lilies, Nellie Moser Clematis, tulips, and single peonies have similar lines radiating out from the center of the flower. This particular bee was very obliging and allowed itself to be nudged into place. It was dying of old age or may have been on its last legs for other reasons. It may not even be the type of bee that spends time in the center of flowers. But you get the idea.