Backyard Orchard News
Watching It Like a Hawk
Watching it like a hawk... A variegated meadowhawk dragonfly, Sympetrum corruptum, that...
A variegated meadowhawk dragonfly, Sympetrum corruptum,in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Touchdown! The variegated meadow hawk perches on a spent salvia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This variegated meadowhawk dragonfly, a strong wind drooping its wings, nevetheless kept returning to this perch, a spent salvia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Eye to eye with a variegated meadowhawk dragonfly, Sympetrum corruptum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Red Passionflower Vine: Pretty But Poisonous?
If want to plant a passionflower vine (Passiflora)--the host plant of Gulf Fritillary butterflies...
A Gulf Fritillary foraging on a lavender passionflower vine, genus Passiflora. This is the Gulf Frits' host plant, they lay their eggs only on Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillaries avoided this species of red passsionflower vine, Passiflora jamesonii, planted in the Garvey yard. Honey bees, however, did not. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Science Café: Ask a Scientist a Question, Such as 'Are There Upper Limits to Human Lifespan?'
If you've ever wanted to ask a scientist a question, here's your opportunity. Ask away at the...
Many senior citizens who develop new hobbies (such as rearing monarch butterflies) believe this keeps their brain active and leads to greater enthusiasm for life. Supercentarian Jeanne Calment of France lived to be 122. One of her interests was playing the piano. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This Katydid Did
The katydid, as green as the leaves around it, is feeding on a yellow rose. It is paying no...
Honey bees circle a fork-tailed bush katydid feeding on a yellow rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of the fork-tailed bush katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dorsal view of the fork-tailed bush katydid feeding on a yellow rose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Fork-tailed bush katydid seems to be saying "This bud's for me."(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Eye-to-eye with a fork-tailed bush katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Oops! Check out the frass. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ooh, an Ootheca!
Hide and seek. She hides 'em and we seek 'em. We've spotted as many as seven adult praying...
Ms. Mantis, on a redwood stake in a milkweed planter in Vacaville, Calif., is trying to find a place to lay her egg mass, an ootheca. This image was taken Sunday night, Sept. 23. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This looks like a good spot. This praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, is native to North America. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ms. Mantis begins to work. Note the frothy cream-colored substance. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of the process. This Stagmomantis limbata did so in the open. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
At dawn the next morning, we found her still on the stake with her hardening ootheca. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)