Backyard Orchard News
A Time to Celebrate Summer and National Pollinator Week
It's the first day of summer and the beginning of National Pollinator Week. What could be...
A Western tiger swallowtail foraging on a butterfly bush, Buddleia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sometimes a Western tiger swallowtail resembles the brightly colored sails of a sailboat. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ready for take-off: the Western tiger swallowtail prepares to leave a butterfly bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Happy Father's Day!
Where have you been? For the last several weeks, we've been watching for signs of the first...
A monarch caterpillar chewing on a narrow-leafed milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male monarch butterfly on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). How can you tell it's a male? Note the distinguishable black spot on each hind wing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female monarch butterfly on lavender. Note the absence of the black spots on the hind wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
That Cuddly Teddy Bear Bee
Oh, that cuddly teddy bear. The male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, also known as...
A male Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa varipuncta, sipping nectar from a broadleaf milkweed, Asclepias speciosa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male Valley carpenter bee, aka teddy bear bee, claims a blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sweet stuff! A male Valley carpenter bee curls to grab some nectar from a broadleaf milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A monarch butterfly flutters in, but the male Valley carpenter bee refuses to budge. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bed and Breakfast for a Bumble Bee
We just met a male black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus. It was early morning and he was...
Male black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus, resting on a blanket flower, Gaillardia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dorsal view of a male black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus, on a blanket flower, Gaillardia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus, tastes the nectar from a blanket flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Wait! Take Me With You!
The honey bee struggled, but couldn't free herself from a broadleaf milkweed blossom in our...
A honey bee carrying milkweed pollinia. It resembles a wishbone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
IIt's easy to get trapped in the sticky reproductive structure of a milkweed. This one was stuck for two hours.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee gathering nectar on a broadleaf milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee's early morning visit to a milkweed. Note the trapped leg. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, with milkweed pollinia attached, resting on broadleaf milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)