Backyard Orchard News
The Bee Team Visits the Haven
It was a bee-utiful day for "The Bee Team" to tour the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. Visiting...
The Bee Team: In front are bee scientist Brian Johnson of UC Davis and May Berenbaum, professor and head of Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In back are native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology, and Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen of UC Davis. The sculpture is by Davis artist Donna Billick. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen points out a honey bee on a pomegranate blossom as entomologist May Berenbaum takes a photo with her cell phone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomologist May Berenbaum moves in for a photo of honey bees on a flowering artichoke. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Love Those Dragonflies!
Don't you just love it when a dragonfly perches on a stake in your back yard and decides to stay...
Red-veined meadowhawk, Sympetrum madidum, perches on a stake. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A different angle of the red-veined meadowhawk. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Front view of the red-veined meadowhawk. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bee Crisis Explained
As honey bees go about their bee-ness, foraging among the pomegranate and other blossoms here in...
Honey bee foraging on a pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bottoms up! Honey bee delves deep into a pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Looking for Bee Plants?
If you're thinking about adding more bee friendly plants to your garden but you're concerned about...
A honey bee, loaded with pollen, heads for Kniphofia "Christmas Cheer." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A finch likes the Christmas Cheer, too. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Pollen Power
Female Valley carpenter bees are solid black--except when they're foraging around passion flowers....
A Valley carpenter bee receives a brush of pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Check out the yellow pollen on this Valley carpenter bee's thorax. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bees frequent the passion flowers, too. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)