Posts Tagged: honey bee

Bee-ing Thankful for Honey Bees

Let's put the "thanks" in THANKSgiving by bee-ing thankful for the honey bee, Apis mellifera... If your table includes pumpkin, cranberries,...

The squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, pollinating a squash. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, pollinating a squash. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Thank a bee for the squash! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Thank a bee for the squash! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee pollinating a pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee pollinating a pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Thank a bee for the pomegranate! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Thank a bee for the pomegranate! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ms. Mantis and Her Morning Exercises

Scenario: A female praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, is perched on a daphne. Pho-tog: "Good morning, Ms. Mantis! How are...

Photographer to the praying mantis: "Good morning, Ms. Mantis! How are you today? Hope you're not thinking about catching a bee for breakfast!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Photographer to the praying mantis: "Good morning, Ms. Mantis! How are you today? Hope you're not thinking about catching a bee for breakfast!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Oh, no!" Ms. Mantis tells the photographer. "I would never think of catching a bee! I'm...ahem...allergic to bees. Yes, that's it. I'm ALLERGIC to bees. I'm just...ahem...doing my morning exercises. Gotta stay in shape." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Oh, no!" Ms. Mantis tells the photographer. "I would never think of catching a bee! I'm...ahem...allergic to bees. Yes, that's it. I'm ALLERGIC to bees. I'm just...ahem...doing my morning exercises. Gotta stay in shape." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ms. Mantis spots a bee below the daphne. "Gotta go do my floor exercises now. Yes, that's it. My floor exercises!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ms. Mantis spots a bee below the daphne. "Gotta go do my floor exercises now. Yes, that's it. My floor exercises!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Spiked Forelegs of a Praying Mantis: There Is No Escape

A praying mantis, an incredible ambush predator, can lie in wait for hours for its prey.  Often it's so camouflaged that it totally blends in...

This praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, has just ambushed a honey bee and is grasping it in its spiked forelegs. There is no Harry Houdini-kind of escape. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, has just ambushed a honey bee and is grasping it in its spiked forelegs. There is no Harry Houdini-kind of escape. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Death grip. With its two spiked forelegs, the praying mantis firmly grasps the honey bee. Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Death grip. With its two spiked forelegs, the praying mantis firmly grasps the honey bee. Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarch vs. Honey Bee: 'Nectar for Me, None for You'

The monarch migration is well underway. The iconic butterflies fluttering into California from the Pacific Northwest engage in "nectar stops" to fuel...

A migrating monarch butterfly finds nectar in a zinnia in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A migrating monarch butterfly finds nectar in a zinnia in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee wants nectar, too. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee wants nectar, too. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee buzzes the wings of the monarch hoping it will leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee buzzes the wings of the monarch hoping it will leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch takes the hint. A bee wants that nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch takes the hint. A bee wants that nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Bee-Butterfly Battle Over a Zinnia

An Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon, settles on a red zinnia in a Vacaville pollinator garden and begins sipping the nectar. A...

An Anise Swallowtail, sipping nectar from a red zinnia, seems unaware of a buzzing honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

An Anise Swallowtail, sipping nectar from a red zinnia, seems unaware of a buzzing honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Anise Swallowtail: "What great nectar!" Bee: "I want some, too!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Anise Swallowtail: "What great nectar!" Bee: "I want some, too!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Anise Swallowtail: "This nectar is great." Bee: "Are you sharing or moving or what?" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Anise Swallowtail: "This nectar is great." Bee: "Are you sharing or moving or what?" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

It's touch and go! The honey bee, Apis mellifera, touches and the Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon, goes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

It's touch and go! The honey bee, Apis mellifera, touches and the Anise Swallowtail, Papilio zelicaon, goes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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