Pollinator Posts by May Chen

Further on along the curb, the California Goldenrod, Solidago velutina ssp. californica is starting to bloom.   A male Cellophane Bee, Colletes sp. (family Colletidae) is foraging on the small flowers of California Goldenrod.   The bee

After a cloudy morning, Fred and I go for an early afternoon walk at Crab Cove.  I decide to check out a small patch of sidewalk planting at the end of McKay Road, a stone’s

Breezy afternoon at Shoreline Park, Bay Farm Island.  High tide. I pause at this big shrub of Coffeeberry, Frangula californica in full bloom on the shoreline embankment above the lapping waves.  There is quite a bit

Afternoon at Crab Cove.  One of my favorite stops at Crab Cove is the small patch of native planting on the upper beach.  The blooming Seaside Woolly Sunflower, Eriophyllum staechadifolium attracts all kinds of insects –

A Sedgesitter, Platycheirus sp. (family Syrphidae) is perched at the entrance of a Bee Plant flower, Scrophularia californica, probing for nectar with its proboscis without having to enter the small flower.  Platycheirus is found in grass

I arrive at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden on this cool, overcast morning before 10 am.  The only active insects at this hour seem to be the bumble bees.  A few Yellow-faced Bumble Bees, subgenus

Many female Miner Bees, Andrena sp. (family Andrenidae) are out and about foraging on the California Buttercup flowers, Ranunculus californicus.  Their modus operandi is by now very familiar to me.  Pivoting in one direction atop

At Sibley today, I decide to explore a path less traveled that leads from the main trail.  A couple of years ago, I have tried this narrow path, and came upon a lone Native American

Frustrated by traffic jam on Hwy 17 on my way to the Berkeley hills, I decide to detour to the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Oakland instead. I am greeted near the parking lot by

California Buttercup, Ranunculus californicus is in bloom, and I know the perfect place to see them – the undulating meadow flanked by large oak trees by the Padre picnic area in Tilden Regional Parks in

View from the bench at Siesta Nose, showing Siesta Valley to the east in a myriad shades of green.  Across the trail, clusters of Blue Dicks, Dipterostemon capitatus have reared their cheery heads on the

Andy, Jim and I make our way slowly along Skyline Trail from the Steam Train entrance, stopping to look at insects at every turn.  Cow Parsnip, Heracleum maximum has leafed out in a big way,

This morning, my friends Andy and Jim join me for a ramble at Skyline Gardens.  We walk Skyline Trail between the Steam Train entrance and Siesta Nose at snail pace, looking at everything.   Walking

Most of the California Pipevine, Aristolochia californica flowers have faded, with only a few fresh flowers left hanging on the vines.   A Dance Fly (superfamily Empidoidea) is perched on the “bowl” of the pipevine

Among the weeds by the parking lot of the Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden, I spot a male Snake Fly (order Raphidioptera) perched on a grass.   Snakeflies are a group of predatory insects comprising

It’s low tide at Crab Cove in Alameda this morning.  A group of young children is on a tide-pooling adventure with their naturalist guide.   “I found Sponge Bob!”, a joyful voice rings from the

The Common or Coast Fiddleneck, Amsinckia intermedia (family Boraginaceae) has started to bloom along the upper stretch of the road.   The annual is native to western North America, and is common and widespread throughout California.  Inflorescences

It’s been a while since I last walked the paved road at Skyline Gardens.  After the series of rain, surely there must be new plant growths and insect activities? Clear skies and green hills, looking

More Coastal Bush Lupine, Lupinus arboreus in the native garden have come into bloom.  From a distance, I watch with amusement as a small worker Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, subgenus Pyrobombus (genus Bombus, family Apidae) forages on

Another fine morning at Crab Cove, Alameda.   When I took this picture of an inflorescence of a Sage, Salvia sp. at the entrance to the parking lot on 3/22/25, I didn’t notice the dark aphids

Hey, there’s a much bigger beetle on the withered Sea Fig flower.  From its size, shiny pitted elytra and its inactive posture with retracted head, I recognize it right away as a Bronze Beetle, Chrysolina

Fred and I are glad to resume our walks at the Shoreline Park at Bay Farm Island this morning.  It is chilly out, but thankfully sunny.  The park has taken on a different appearance since

I hesitate to post these pictures, and apologize for their poor quality.  It’s almost noon when I approach the Western Redbud in the garden.  Temperature has reached an unseasonable 80 F, and my overheated camera

Expecting an unusually hot day ahead, I decide to botanize at the Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden up in the hills, with plenty of shade and cover if necessary. Ah, budburst is still occurring on