Pipevine Swallowtail on the Verbena De La Mina
Wow, what luck! Today in the late afternoon I happened to look out the window at the front yard. I saw constant fluttering around the...
Spring blooms and secret gardens
Every day I poke around our garden, looking for new blooms. This is what greets the eye when one of our back gates is opened. The plants...
Hummingbirds visiting
With all the plants starting to bloom, more pollinators, including hummingbirds are visiting. This is an Anna's hummingbird sipping...
Northern mockingbirds are such characters
This Northern mockingbird landed in the native patch in the afternoon sun. He was very vigilant, looking for a snack. As he marched...
Just watching the bees
It's been very warm for the past couple of the days. Accordingly, the California poppies are literally popping up everywhere in the...
Butterfly visitors
Oh butterflies, how we missed you! Here a Common Hairstreak Strymon melinus is checking the blossom of a ground cover plant next to the...
Vivid Dancer
Today I observed for the first time this year a Vivid Dancer Argia vivida. It is a female in the pale gynomorphic form, which is black...
Bees on the Chiapas Sage
You know that Spring truly is here when different bees arrive. This is a Habropoda digger bee female foraging for pollen in a blossom on...
After the rain
After some several days of very welcome rainy weather, the flowers and foliage are refreshed. One of the first blooming California...
Yellow Faced Bumble Bee and the Verbena De La Mina
This is the first time I've ever seen the Yellow-faced bumble bee on the native Verbena De La Mina shrub. In the past years I've only...
