Pollinator Posts by May Chen

After dropping Fred off at Shoreline Park in Bay Farm for his walk, I decide to visit a garden nearby on Aughinbaugh Way.  Passing it several times previously I have noticed many California native plants

I am walking this short stretch of beach at Crab Cove near the Duck Pond this afternoon.  It is rather windy, and I wonder if I’d see any insects.   I waste no time getting

Thwarted by cloudy skies yesterday, I make a return visit to Jenny and Craig’s garden today to pick up where I left off.  What difference a day makes – the sunshine and warmth have brought

I finally look at the most conspicuous flowers in Jenny and Craig’s front garden – the Farewell-to-Spring, Clarkia amoena.  While these large and showy flowers don’t seem to attract many insects, they are useful for illustrating

It seems surprises are always in store when I visit Jenny and Craig’s native garden in Alameda.  Not only am I greeted by a floriferous front yard this afternoon, there is a handsome plaque planted

A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, subgenus Pyrobombus (genus Bombus, family Apidae) is taking nectar on a flowerhead of Blanketflower, Gaillardia sp., one of the few non-native plants in the garden.  Stefanie has judiciously kept a few

In Stefanie’s side yard, a Thick-legged Hover Fly, Syritta pipiens (family Syrphidae) is foraging on an inflorescence of Sea Cliff Buckwheat, Eriogonum parvifolium.  The prevalence of this species of hover fly is probably due to the various water

It’s time to pay a visit to Stefanie’s beautiful garden in San Leandro again!  The front yard is so lush and full, I can hardly see her house now.  Her garden spills into the sidewalk

After dropping Fred off at Shoreline Park for his walk this afternoon, I head for the Bay Farm Island Library to check on the native plant garden there.  Much to my delight, the young garden

On the Shoreline trail at Bay Farm, a Potato Mirid, Closterotomus norwegicus (family Miridae) is resting on a cluster of Wild Mustard flowers.   The Potato Mirid originated in the Mediterranean region, but is now widespread worldwide.

Another wasp on the Fennel flowers? It has a big, boxy head.  A Square-headed Wasp (family Crabronidae)? The Crabronidae are a large family of solitary, predatory wasps comprising over 9,000 species worldwide.  Often called Square-headed

As I often do on my walks at Bay Farm, I linger at this short stretch of the shoreline trail to check on the two native plant species that are found here – the California

It’s almost noon when Fred and I make it to Bay Farm on this sunny, calm day. A glossy, black insect is perched on a petal of the Hooker’s Evening Primrose flower, Oenothera elata.  

A Metallic Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum (Dialictus) sp. (family Halictidae) is foraging on the small, clustered flowers of California Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum.  These bees have short tongues and are unable to access nectar from deep, tubular

I am excited to be participating in a bee walk today at the Gardens at Lake Merritt guided by my friend and bee guru, Emil Petrinic.  About a dozen enthusiastic people have gathered for this

Yellow-flowered Wild Mustard and pink-flowered Wild Radish line this section of the trail along the shoreline of Bay Farm. I stop to observe the many green bugs (order Hemiptera) on the flowers of this particular

The Armenian or Himalayan Blackberry, Rubus armeniacus growing along the Shoreline trail at Bay Farm is blooming in profusion.  Since few other plants are in bloom and offering floral resources around here, the blackberry is

When I arrive at Bay Farm this morning, my first order of business is to check the Fennel growing out of the Holm Oak bush.  The last time I was here, I saw an Anise

It’s a nice, sunny morning at Bay Farm.  Along this stretch of Shoreline Park, the Tall or Hooker’s Evening Primrose, Oenothera elata (family Onagraceae) has started to display large, sunny yellow flowers.   While the flowers

It’s an overcast, windy afternoon at Bay Farm.  I zip up my jacket as I get out of the car, and don’t expect to see many insects today. A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, subgenus Pyrobombus (genus

A female Johnson’s Jumping Spider, Phidippus johnsoni (family Salticidae) is resting on a leaf of Oregon Grape, Berberis aquifolium.  Also known as the Red-backed Jumping Spider, Phidippus johnsoni is one of the largest and most commonly encountered

Closed to car traffic for the migrating newts during winter, South Park Drive is once again open, giving me a short, direct route to the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in the Berkeley hills.  On the

Along the shoreline of Bay Farm Island, a Sedgesitter, Platycheirus sp. (family Syrphidae) is perched on the stigma of a Calandrinia flower.  I have often seen the hover fly forage among the stamens in these

While a few of last year’s fruits are still hanging on the branches, this California Coffeeberry, Frangula californica is starting to bloom again. Coffeeberry The flowers of California Coffeeberry, Frangula californica are small, about 4mm