Posts Tagged: Greg Kareofelas

Drama in the Pollinator Patch

So here's this newly eclosed male monarch trying to sip a little nectar from a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). A female longhorned bee, probably...

A pollen-packing female longhorned bee, probably Melissodes agilis (as identified by Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis) wants the same flower that the male monarch has claimed. This is a Mexican sunflower, genus Tithonia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A pollen-packing female longhorned bee, probably Melissodes agilis (as identified by Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis) wants the same flower that the male monarch has claimed. This is a Mexican sunflower, genus Tithonia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Just a blur, a male longhorned bee, probably Meliossodes agilis, targets a monarch. The monarch's wings are deformed; they did not fully expand. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Just a blur, a male longhorned bee, probably Meliossodes agilis, targets a monarch. The monarch's wings are deformed; they did not fully expand. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Seeing Spots All Day

"You can hawk and perch in our yard all day if you want," I told her. And she did.  A spotted dragonfly chose a spot in our pollinator...

A female whitetail, Plathemis lydia, claims a bamboo stake. This dragonfly is often mistaken for a twelve-spotted dragonfly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female whitetail, Plathemis lydia, claims a bamboo stake. This dragonfly is often mistaken for a twelve-spotted dragonfly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

With an orange Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in the background, the common whitetail checks out its surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

With an orange Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in the background, the common whitetail checks out its surroundings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Caught in flight, the common whitetail dragonfly sails over the pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Caught in flight, the common whitetail dragonfly sails over the pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Quick, What's the California State Insect?

Quick, what's the California state insect? Umm, does California have a state insect? The Monarch? The Western Tiger Swallowtail? The Red Admiral?...

California dogface butterfly poster at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis.

California dogface butterfly poster at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis.

Egg of California dogface butterfly. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Egg of California dogface butterfly. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Adult California dogface butterly eclosing from chrysalis. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Adult California dogface butterly eclosing from chrysalis. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Newly emerged female California dogface butterfly. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Newly emerged female California dogface butterfly. (Photo by Greg Kareofelas)

Why That Ol' Flame Stakes Out the Back Yard

Sometimes the red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) will let you approach it. Sometimes it's having a bad hair day or a bad predator/prey...

Red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) perches on a bamboo stake. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) perches on a bamboo stake. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hmm, is this my best side? Red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) perching on a bamboo stake. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hmm, is this my best side? Red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) perching on a bamboo stake. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) tries a new position. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The red flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) tries a new position. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Late afternoon sun sets the red flameskimmer aglow. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Late afternoon sun sets the red flameskimmer aglow. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Gulf Fritillaries Are Back!

Okay, where are they? Shouldn't they be emerging soon? They're in Davis and Suisun. Why not Vacaville? We've been waiting--not so patiently after...

A Gulf Fritillary lays an egg on a passionflower vine in Vacaville on March 26. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary lays an egg on a passionflower vine in Vacaville on March 26. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Gulf Fritillary touches down on a stucco wall. Gulf Frits lay eggs on the leaves and tendrils of their host plant, Passiflora, but also on nearby fences and walls. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female Gulf Fritillary touches down on a stucco wall. Gulf Frits lay eggs on the leaves and tendrils of their host plant, Passiflora, but also on nearby fences and walls. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is one of the eggs that the Gulf Fritillary laid on a leaf on March 26. They lay their eggs singly. They are about the size of a pinhead. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This is one of the eggs that the Gulf Fritillary laid on a leaf on March 26. They lay their eggs singly. They are about the size of a pinhead. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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