Driving along U.S. Highway 101 lately, you see patches of newly emerging ox-eye daisies (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). As idyllic as they might seem from a distance, there’s a lot going on up close. This European species was introduced to North America in the 1800s and has become widely naturalized. Although considered an invasive weed by some, their […]
bumblebees
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Day Fliers and Night Lighters
Between the raindrops Despite the dreary weather, life must go on. Eager to get along with their lives, our local insects show up even for the brief patches of sunshine that occasionally grace my backyard. Mostly disdained by the local honeybees, oxalis, dandelions and English daisies draw a crowd. Aside from the digger bees mentioned […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Spring Wildflowers and the Bees that Love Them
To be honest opportunities for a bug photographer have been rather slim lately with all the rain and cold weather. The other night, coming home late I found a nearly comatose bumblebee on my lucky horse shoe. Of all the members of the order Hymenoptera (which translates to, “membrane wing”) which includes ants, bees, wasps, […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Bees and May-bees on the Willow
The pussy willows are just starting to bloom along the river and, being pretty much the only game in town, they’re attracting the early birds of the insect world. Bumblebees, adapted to cool weather, were out and defending their territory by circling around me at a dizzying pace. These are the next generation of queens […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Archaeognatha
When I set out to take a couple of photos of the jumping bristletails on the back of my garage, I was not prepared for what I got. They’re interesting for being such an old order. The name Archaeognatha means “ancient jaw.” This refers to the primitive structure of their jaw. Jumping bristletails are one […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Bumbling into Spring
It snowed here Monday night and has been cold for the rest of the week. Because insects are cold blooded, this means there just weren’t many out and about, but I did get buzzed by a bumblebee feeding on the newly emerged pussy willows. I don’t think they get much nectar from any individual catkin, […]
Posted inNews
HumBug: Dragons and Fairies
On a recent dry day, I took my camera out to the garden and got what may be technically the best dragonfly photograph I have gotten. A member of the mosaic darner group, named for the mosaic pattern on their abdomens, the California darner (Rhionaeschna californica) is one of the first dragonflies to be seen […]
Posted inNews
HumBug: In the Key of Bee
We’ve finally had three days of warmish weather and the garden is abuzz with the sounds of busy bees. If you listen carefully, you can hear each species with its own pitch and rhythm. There is, of course, the familiar drone of the honeybee and the heavy bass of the yellow faced bumble bee (Bombus […]
Posted inNews
HumBug: Beacon Islands on a Dreary Day
It was sunny when I went to get my hiking boots but by the time I got dressed and out the door, it was 49 degrees and drizzling. I went anyway. The path down to the river was dark, the only sounds were the gentle “pok, pok” of water dripping from branches. The burning in […]