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Love Out of the Blue
Birds do it...bees do it... You've probably seen the territorial male European carder bees on patrol. They dart through the stems of a nectar treasure, such as bluebeard (Caryopteris 'Blue Mist'), knocking off all floral visitors. They're trying to save the nectar for their girls, perchance to...
European male carder bees mating. The male, the larger bee, is about the size of honey bee. The European carder bees were introduced in New York in 1963 and became established in California in 2007, scientists say. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female European carder bee sipping some nectar from bluebeard, Caryopteris "Blue Mist." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male European carder bee pauses during patrol for nectar refueling. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Insect Art in the Garden
If you look closely, you'll not only see the cycle of life in your garden, but art as the center of life. Take the Gulf Fritillaries. They're a stunning orangish-reddish butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) with silver-spangled underwings. It's a delight seeing them laying eggs on their host plant,...
The tiny yellow egg of a Gulf Fritillary glows in the early morning sun. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar inches away from a passionflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The empty chrysalis of a Gulf Fritillary hangs like a broken chandelier. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillaries, aka passion butterflies, mating in the passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Nobody Lost Their Head Today
Nobody lost their head today. Oh, in the people world, all across our nation's workplaces, they did. Eyes rolled, tempers flared, outbursts erupted and some angry assailants went into what my ol' journalism professor aptly described as "a blithering rage." Now, there are rages and then there are...
Mating praying mantids on sedum. The male looks like a thin blade of grass. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A mama-to-be and her handsome agile mate made quite a pair. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Praying mantids in disguise. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Let's count the heads. Yes, there are two. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Make Renewals, Not Resolutions
Today is Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 the last day of the year. Looking back, it was a year of wonder in our pollinator garden, a year filled with flourishing lavender, salvia, catmint, honeysuckle, lantana, passionflower vine, foxgloves, cosmos, California poppies, rock purslane, basil and oregano,...
Two Gulf Fritillaries becoming one in the lavender. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A showstopping move and a show of orange. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Spreading the wings! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Soon there will be eggs, larvae, chrysalids and more adults. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Oh, the Life of a Praying Mantis...
Oh, the life of a praying mantis... You can hang upside down like an acrobat, shading yourself from the sun while waiting for prey and avoiding predators. You can crawl beneath dense leaves, the better to ambush, snatch and eat an unsuspecting bee. And you can mate with a fine-looking...
Praying mantis hangs upside down on a zinnia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Praying mantis eating a bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Mating pair of praying mantids. The green one (left) is the male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
