Pollinator Posts by May Chen

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

Ooh, I think that’s another Common Lagoon Fly, Eristalis aeneus (family Syrphidae)!  In this light the hover fly appears black and shiny.   The Common Lagoon Fly, Eristalis aeneus (family Syrphidae) is native to Europe, and widespread throughout Europe

I take a walk at Crab Cove, Alameda this late morning.   At the back of the visitor center, next to the parking lot is a small stand of Oregon Grape, Berberis aquifolium.  It is

Bumped from a Woodland Strawberry flower by a similar fly, an Empidid Dance Fly perches on a dry seed capsule to steady itself.  Note that its body is covered with stray pollen.  Even predators seek

I head to the Regional Parks Botanic Gardens in the Berkeley hills to check for new developments.   In front of the parking lot next to the footbridge over the stream, the large Big-leaf Maple,

A large queen Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, subgenus Pyrobombus (genus Bombus, family Apidae) lands on a whorl of sage flowers, Salvia sp. to take nectar.  She has obviously been busy foraging – there’s some yellow pollen

While my aching right knee still complains, I am thrilled to be able to take a walk in the sun again after a week of cold and wet weather.  The obvious choice of location is

It’s almost noon by the time I reach Diablo Bend.  The Silverleaf Lupine, Lupinus albifrons is finally blooming.  Despite the profusion of flowers, the place is surprisingly quiet.  Occasionally a noisy Digger Bee, Anthophora sp.

I visit Skyline Garden in the Berkeley hills this morning, walking the stretch of the Skyline Trail south of Siesta Gate.  A tiny fly, no more than 3 mm long, is resting on a tender

A Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bombus melanopygus (family Apidae) has landed on a cluster of manzanita flowers.   Its tongue extended, the bee proceeds to take nectar from the flowers, not from the proper opening of

Back at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden again.  The first order of business is to ascertain that the American Winter Ants I saw on the Evergreen Currant, Ribes viburnifolium last time were no mere incidentals.

When the sun finally peeks through the overcast sky this afternoon, Fred and I decide to go for our walk at Crab Cove, Alameda.   I check the native plants around the visitor center.  A

A large Beaked Hazelnut, Corylus cornuta in the back of the garden is blooming gloriously, with numerous male catkins dangling from bare branches.  The Hazelnut is monoecious, with separate male and female flowers borne on the

After a gloomy day of endless rain showers, I am happy to visit the Regional Parks Botanic Garden again.  It is a cold but sunny morning, with temperatures in the mid 50s F. Whenever I

Two American Winter Ants meet on the edge of a Miner’s Lettuce leaf, exchanging messages by touching antennae.   The American Ant, Prenolepis imparis is a widespread North American ant.  A dominant woodland species, it is most

I take my walk on Nimitz Way at Inspiration Point, Berkeley this morning.   On the grassy slope on the side of the paved trail, a California Manroot, Marah fabacea is blooming prolifically.  Marah species