Backyard Orchard News
Bugs Share Spotlight with Pigs, Polar Bears and Pigeons: ACE Awards
This was a case of bugs sharing the spotlight with pigs, polar bears and pigeons. Six...
Children of California migratory workers react to a Madagascar hissing cockroach during their tour of the Bohart Museum of Entomology. A news story about the event won a gold or first-place award in the ACE competition. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, fields questions from the tour group. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This monarch caterpillar, discovered Oct. 27, 2017 on milkweed in Vacaville, survived and hitched a ride to an overwintering site in Santa Cruz, thanks to "Monarch Mom" and "Good Samaritan Rita LeRoy of Vallejo. The blog, "Once Upon a Monarch," won a silver award at the ACE conference. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
"Monarch Mom" Rita LeRoy (pictured) of Vallejo transported "Ms. Vacaville Monarch" to an overwintering site in Santa Cruz. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out...
Yes, we can see you. A crab spider on Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider ventures out on a petal of the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A perfectly camouflaged crab spider on a gold coin flower (Asteriscus maritimus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Portrait of My Old Flame
Just call it "my old flame." Well, it's not mine, but it is a flame of sorts, a flame skimmer...
A flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) perches on a bamboo stake in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bee-Hold, The Eye of the Bee-Holder
Bee-hold, the eye of a bee-holder. When you have a "Bee Crossing" sign in your pollinator garden,...
"Bee Crossing" signs are favorites in pollinator gardens, not for the bees, but for the humans. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sign of the times: A European wool carder bees (Anthidium manicatum) is surrounded by honey bees on the "Bee Crossing" sign. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of European wool carder bee nectaring on a blue spike salvia. The eye of a honey bee adds to this photo. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Ever Seen a Gulf Fritillary Laying an Egg?
Ever seen a Gulf Fritillary butterfly laying an egg? The Gulf Frit (Agraulis vanillae), an...
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae), an orangish-reddish butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, lays its eggs on its host plant, Passiflora. They often lay their eggs on the tendrils. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Silver-spangled wings of the Gulf Fritillary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)