Pollinator Posts by May Chen

Very common on the Poison Hemlock flowers are these small, black, bristly flies.  They are Woodlouse Flies, Stevenia deceptoria (family Rhinophoridae). The Woodlouse Flies (family Rhinophoridae) are somewhat related to the Tachinidae.  The larvae are

As air quality is questionable in the lowlands today, I opt to take a late morning walk at Inspiration Point in the Berkeley hills. Near the gate to the Nimitz trail, a vibrant patch of

Afternoon walk at Crab Cove, Alameda. The blooming Pacific Aster, Symphyotrichum chilense  in front of the visitor center continues to attract many insects.  A Tripartite Sweat Bee, Halictus tripartitus (family Halictidae) is collecting pollen on

The Great Valley Gumweed, Grindelia camporum that Naomi has included in her native plantings at the sidewalk strip is in glorious bloom now. A member of the sunflower family Asteraceae, Grindelia camporum is native to California and

It’s a cool, cloudy morning – perfect time to see male bees that might still be sleeping on flowers!  I head for the small sidewalk strip in front of Naomi’s house in Alameda.  The narrow

Carol and I visit Mitchell Canyon at the base of Mt. Diablo this cool, sunny day. Most of the plants in the demonstration garden next to the visitor center have gone dormant.  I pause to

A large plum tree grows against the back fence of the backyard.  The lower foliage is wet, glistening with honeydew, and most leaves are speckled with white flecks.     Numerous Lady Beetle larvae are

I am thrilled to have been invited to visit a home garden in south Berkeley.  Donna and Ken’s native plantings are about 4 years old, making up the majority of the plants in their lovely

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