Posts Tagged: benicia

'A' is for Almonds and 'B' is for Bees and Bradford Pear Blossoms

No, it's not Valentine's Day, yet. Yes, the almonds are blooming. No, it's not spring. But it looks like spring in Benicia. The almonds are...

Benicia resident Gordon Hough captured this image of a bee nectaring on a Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear or another cultivar) at the Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, Jan. 21, as identified by Daniel Potter, UC Davis professor of plant sciences.

Benicia resident Gordon Hough captured this image of a bee nectaring on a Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear or another cultivar) at the Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, Jan. 21, as identified by Daniel Potter, UC Davis professor of plant sciences.

Almonds are blooming in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Almonds are blooming in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Find the Green Darner

Find the green darner. Trying to spot the green darner dragonfly, Anax junius--so named because of its resemblance to a darning needle--is like...

Green darner dragonfly, Anax junius, in Benicia State Historical Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Green darner dragonfly, Anax junius, in Benicia State Historical Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Is Jade Lucky? Well, Bumble Bees Like It!

The bumble bee was hungry. She moved quickly from blossom to blossom on a jade plant at the Benicia (Calif.) Capitol State Historic Park, Solano...

A yellow-faced bumble bee nectars on jade blossoms at the Benicia (Calif.) Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee nectars on jade blossoms at the Benicia (Calif.) Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not a moment to spare! This yellow-faced bumble bee nectaring on jade blossoms in Benicia is taking advantage of the warm weather and early blooms. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not a moment to spare! This yellow-faced bumble bee nectaring on jade blossoms in Benicia is taking advantage of the warm weather and early blooms. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Going sideways! The yellow-faced bumble bee pauses for a moment on jade blossoms in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Going sideways! The yellow-faced bumble bee pauses for a moment on jade blossoms in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The yellow-faced bumble bee is nearing the end of her foraging. Now it's back to her underground nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The yellow-faced bumble bee is nearing the end of her foraging. Now it's back to her underground nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Foraging Bumble Bees: Check Out the Orange Pollen

Bring on the bumble bees! In yesterday's Bug Squad blog, we mentioned the unusual first-of-the-year bumble bee sightings at the Benicia Capitol...

A yellow-faced bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on rosemary at the Benicia Marina on New Year's Day, 2018. Note the orange pollen, derived from another floral species, probably California golden poppies. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on rosemary at the Benicia Marina on New Year's Day, 2018. Note the orange pollen, derived from another floral species, probably California golden poppies. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, heads for another rosemary blossom at the Benicia Marina. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, heads for another rosemary blossom at the Benicia Marina. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Peek-a-bee! The foraging bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, displays a little of its orange pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Peek-a-bee! The foraging bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, displays a little of its orange pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Celebrating the New Year with Bumble Bees in Benicia

While folks from Alaska to Colorado to New York to Maine are shivering in freezing temperatures, here in sunny California--well, at least parts of...

A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, forages on New Year's Day, 2017, on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, forages on New Year's Day, 2017, on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Check out the cream-colored pollen on this yellow-faced bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring today (Jan. 1) on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Check out the cream-colored pollen on this yellow-faced bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring today (Jan. 1) on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bottoms up! A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, dips for nectar on a jade blossom in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bottoms up! A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, dips for nectar on a jade blossom in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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