Bees flock to blooming sunflowers in Woodingdean

Camera club snappers have been out and about this week capturing striking flowers across Sussex.

Sue Barnett visited Michelham Priory gardens in Hailsham, home to a former 13th century Augustine priory on a moated island.

A bee on an inula flower (Image: Sue Barnett)

The gardens, described as a “hidden gem” by Great British Gardens, are in an area of nature conservation interest and are surrounded by the longest medieval moat in the UK.

The gardens contain a cloister and a vegetable and orchard garden, as well as a bluebell walk and sculpture trail.

Sue captured some vivid inula flowers there, which were visited by bees and wasps.

Meanwhile, Claire Andrews visited Woodingdean’s glorious sunflowers this week and snapped some stunning pictures.

A field of sunflowers in Woodingdean is a bee's paradise (Image: Claire Andrews)

Claire’s sweeping photos capture the serene sunflower fields, with the sun accentuating their luminous yellow colour.

The landscape shots highlight why the spot is a bees' paradise.

Karen Casswell also shot some stunning sunflowers on her trip to Woodingdean.

A bee coated in pollen (Image: Karen Casswell)

Karen’s keen lens caught bees covered in pollen after they collected it from the flowers.

She said: “Walking through the sunflowers today it was a pleasure to see so many bees.

“Along with many other insects, their numbers have been severely depleted elsewhere this year.”