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Pollinator Posts by May Chen

  • Pollinator Post 6/13/24 (2)

    A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Bombus vosnesenskii (family Apidae) is foraging on the flowers of Coffeeberry, Frangula californica.   I wonder if the pollen in her pollen baskets is from the plant? The bee is diving

  • Pollinator Post 6/13/24 (3)

    This appears to be another Sweat Bee, Halictus sp. (family Halictidae) foraging on a flowerhead of English Daisy.   The bee has not been collecting pollen and the scopae on her hind legs are empty.

  • Pollinator Post 6/13/24 (1)

    At the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, I venture off on a little-used side trail flanked by French Broom.  Most of the plants are now in seed.  A shiny little spider is resting on a seed

  • Pollinator Post 6/12/24 (3)

    The flowers on the same Clarkia plant can look distinctly different.  Clarkia is a classic example of a protandrous flower, with male reproductive parts maturing before the female parts.  The younger flower on the top

  • Pollinator Post 6/12/24 (1)

    Before I enter the Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Gardens this morning, I am greeted by California Grape, Vitis californica blooming gloriously on the chainlink fence by the gate.  Wow, all these flowers, and not a

  • Pollinator Post 6/12/24 (2)

    A robustly-built bee is foraging in a flower of Farewell-to-spring, Clarkia rubicunda.  iNaturalist has identified the bee as a Chimney or Turret Bee, Diadasia sp. (family Apidae, tribe Emphorini).  Note that the flower has had

  • Pollinator Post 6/10/24 (1)

    I arrive at the Skyline Gate staging area in late morning to walk the West Ridge Trail.  It’s been 10 days since I last saw the weak showing of the Fairy Longhorn Moths on the

  • Pollinator Post 6/10/24 (2)

    I spot something glistening on a Sticky Monkeyflower, Diplacus aurantiacus.  Closing in, it is a bubble of liquid held in the jaws of a little bee.  Is this a female Masked Bee, Hylaeus sp. (family

  • Pollinator Post 6/9/24 (1)

    Entering Skyline Gardens through the Steam Train entrance a little before 10 am, I am delighted to find the blooming California Phacelia, Phacelia californica abuzz with Yellow-faced Bumble Bees, Bombus vosnesenskii (family Apidae). A tiny bug

  • Pollinator Post 6/9/24 (2)

    Much to my surprise, I am seeing little bee activity on the flowers of California Bee Plant, Scrophularia californica today.  Gone are the Mining Bees, Andrena sp. (family Andrenidae) that used to forage so avidly

  • Pollinator Post 6/8/24 (3)

    With a soft thud, a tiny nymph of Scudder’s Bush Katydid, Scudderia sp. (family Tettigoniidae) lands on a young leaf of California Bay, Umbellularia californica. Scudderia is a genus of katydids in the family Tettigoniidae.  They are

  • Pollinator Post 6/8/24 (2)

    A tiny moth lands on a terminal leaf of Coyote Brush, Baccharis pilularis.  iNaturalist has identified it as a Tortricid Leafroller Moth (family Tortricidae). Members of the family Tortricidae are commonly known as tortrix moths

  • Pollinator Post 6/8/24 (1)

    The weather up here at Skyline Gardens can be astonishingly different from where I live in Oakland.  I am no longer surprised to see the place shrouded in fog this fine morning.  It’s a welcome

  • Pollinator Post 6/7/24 (1)

    This morning, Kathy and I are back visiting Stefanie’s garden in San Leandro.  I was so impressed by the diversity of native plants and insects in her beautiful garden that I have requested for a

  • Pollinator Post 6/7/24 (2)

    A Great Black Digger Wasp, Sphex pensylvanicus (family Sphecidae) is nectaring on an inflorescence of Nude Buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum. The large wasp is 22-28 mm in length, with deep black body and wings that give

  • Pollinator Post 6/6/24 (2)

    The Masked Bee, Hylaeus sp. (family Colletidae) is one of our smallest bees, no larger than a grain of rice.  When they hover around flowers, they are easily mistaken for midges.  It is fun to

  • Pollinator Post 6/6/24 (1)

    It’s a clear morning at Skyline Gardens.  I have an early start, heading up the paved road from Siesta Gate at 9 am.   The bumble bees are busy buzzing around the California Phacelia, Phacelia

  • Pollinator Post 6/5/24

    As extreme heat is in the forecast for today,  I come to the Padre Picnic Area in Tilden Regional Park for a short walk under the big oak trees.  It is already 72 degrees F

  • Pollinator Post 6/3/24 (3)

    A California Everlasting, Pseudognaphalium californicum at the edge of the trail is dotted with dark insects. I take a closer look and discover that they are brown aphids.  iNaturalist’s AI has identified them as the

  • Pollinator Post 6/3/24 (2)

    It’s already 10:30 am – rather surprising to see a Small-headed Fly, Eulonchus sp. (family Acroceridae) still sleeping in the Sticky Monkeyflower, Diplacus aurantiacus.   Here’s another one.  These Sticky Monkeyflowers are in the shade,

  • Pollinator Post 6/3/24 (1)

    At Siesta Gate, a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Bombus vosnesenskii (family Apidae) lies motionless on a spent inflorescence of California Phacelia, Phacelia californica.   It is 9:45 am and not yet hot.  Could the bee be

  • Pollinator Post 6/2/24 (2)

    After seeing the Tiburon Jewelflower at Old St. Hilary’s Preserve, Andy, Susan and I next visit the Ring Mountain Preserve at the north end of the Tiburon peninsula in search of the Tiburon Mariposa Lily.

  • Pollinator Post 6/2/24 (1)

    Andy, Susan and I set out on an adventure today – to visit two of the rarest botanical jewels we are likely to see in our area – the Tiburon Jewelflower and the Tiburon Mariposa

  • Pollinator Post 5/30/24

    It occurs to me this morning that the month of May is almost over, and I haven’t even gone to see the lekking Fairy Longhorn Moths!  Uh oh, am I too late for the show?