Pollinator Posts by May Chen

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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.

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

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?

Not able to leave the house until mid afternoon, I opt for the shady little trail between the Padre and Laurel picnic areas in Tilden Regional Park.   What a surprise to see the change

I arrive at the Steam Train entrance to Skyline Gardens in late morning to find the California Phacelia, Phacelia californica abuzz with insects.  Notable among the bees is this scruffy, dull-colored bee about the size

A small bee with empty scopae is foraging on a flower of California Bee Plant, Scrophularia californica. She appears to have facial fovea, characteristic of the Mining Bees in the genus Andrena (family Andrenidae). Facial

Before I enter the cattle gate at the Steam Train entrance to Skyline Gardens, I pause at the large bushy California Bay Tree, Umbellularia californica.  It has put on many tender new leaves, some of

At Diablo Bend, the aphid infestation on the Silverleaf Lupine, Lupinus albifrons has calmed down.  I notice a group of aphids waving their rear ends frantically on a dried up inflorescence.  Then I see why

Entering Skyline Gardens through Siesta Gate at 2 pm, I am happy to see numerous Yellow-faced Bumble Bees foraging on the California Phacelia.  Other, smaller insects are also enjoying our bumper crop of phacelia this

It’s been a while since I last visited Inspiration Point in the Berkeley hills.  I am surprised to see how much of the vegetation has dried up.  The grasses are turning brown.  Gone are all

The California Bay Tree, Umbellularia californica that has been severely pruned back last season has put out some healthy, tender leaves tinged with red.  Young leaves in many plants are transiently red because of the

By the time I get to Siesta Gate of the Skyline Gardens, it is almost 10:30 am.  The large patch of California Phacelia, Phacelia californica is abuzz with Bumble Bees.  They are mostly Yellow-faced Bumble

The Oneleaf Onion, Allium unifolium is blooming profusely at the garden.   A small bee lands on a flower of Oneleaf Onion. It seems to have large mandibles.  Ooh, I think the bee might belong

The bloom season at the Tilden Regional Botanic Gardens is progressing so fast I am always shocked by how much I have missed since the last visit.   A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Bombus vosnesenskii (family

Ooh, there’s a little bee in that Checkerbloom flower, Sidalcea malviflora!  Going down to the base of the corolla, she’s probably seeking nectar. Checkerbloom’s nectar is stored in the calyx, the cup formed by the

Seeking relief from the afternoon heat, I find myself in the green sanctuary of Tilden Regional Park.  The meadow at the Padre picnic area has been mown down, destroying some of my favorite California Buttercups.

A Honey Bee, Apis mellifera (family Apidae) is taking nectar from a flower of Wood Mint, Stachys ajugoides.   The plant in the mint family Lamiaceae is also known as Bugle Hedgenettle.  It is native

The weather conditions at the Skyline Gardens in the Berkeley hills can be vastly different from those of Oakland where I live, just 20 minutes away by car.  I have not expected the weather to