Tattered and Torn, Weary and Worn, But Still Tasty (or Maybe the Only Item on the Menu)

Today I had my lunchtime lounging next to the sprawly collection of corn marigold, Chrysanthemum segetum or more properly Glebionis segetum,  plants in the vegetable garden.  The sun was warm and added to the golden glow of the flowers which, despite several fairly hard frosts, were not flattened like the nasturtiums have been.  Certainly many individual flowers were not in great shape - petals all a-fray or missing; the pollen patch spent on many.  But foragers were out!  My seat was front row for noting the flying visitors, whom I watched and photographed for a good enough time to be almost confident I had recorded them all.  Quite a crew it was!  The small slender bees (first photo) were the most numerous but there were a remarkable number of bee and fly species on this one type of flower!  Yes, I know  - not much choice, left or right.

Here are the bees, including a honeybee who seems to be looking at me.

Here are the flies, a couple of syrphid or flower flies and others more like house flies. What is the brownish one with the folded-back wings?

Meanwhile, on the next plant over, at least two bumblebee individuals were using their long tongues to get to the last drops of nectar. Their heads were nuzzling way into the flowers.   Here they are:

After my long settee, to stretch a bit, I walked to the end of one of the long raised beds where another yellow flower had managed not to succumb to the freezing temperatures.  What a difference - nobody was visiting the lonely pot marigold, Calendula.