Posts Tagged: ice plant

Well, Hello There, Queen Bumble Bee!

So, there she is, an out-of-season queen bumble bee, Bombus vosenenskii, nectaring on an equally out-of-season ice plant blossom at...

A queen bumble bee, Bombus vosenenskii, sipping nectar from an ice plant at Bodega Bay on Oct. 19, 2022. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A queen bumble bee, Bombus vosenenskii, sipping nectar from an ice plant at Bodega Bay on Oct. 19, 2022. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bombus vosenenskii, a native, departs a non-native, the invasive ice plant, Carpobrotus edulis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bombus vosenenskii, a native, departs a non-native, the invasive ice plant, Carpobrotus edulis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bombus vosenenskii, with the familiar yellow band on its abdomen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bombus vosenenskii, with the familiar yellow band on its abdomen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bumble Bees at Bodega Bay: Seeing Double

What's better than seeing a yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on an neon pink ice plant at Bodega Bay? Seeing two bumble...

A lone yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on an ice plant blossom at Bodega Bay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lone yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on an ice plant blossom at Bodega Bay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Hey, move over! I want to forage here, too." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, on one neon ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Hey, move over! I want to forage here, too." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, on one neon ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Let's share this flower." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Let's share this flower." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Hey, you're getting too close to me. I was here first." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on the same ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Hey, you're getting too close to me. I was here first." Two bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on the same ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Ah, all mine again!" A bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, rolling in the pollen of a neon ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Ah, all mine again!" A bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, rolling in the pollen of a neon ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Wanted and Unwanted

If you vacationed at Doran Regional Beach, Bodega Bay, on a Wednesday last year (pre-COVID-19 pandemic), chances are you saw scores of...

A honey bee foraging on ice plant along Doran Beach, Bodega Bay. Both the bee and the plant are non-native. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on ice plant along Doran Beach, Bodega Bay. Both the bee and the plant are non-native. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, takes a liking to this ground cover of ice plant, sold at many nurseries. This image was taken in West Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, takes a liking to this ground cover of ice plant, sold at many nurseries. This image was taken in West Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Great Blue Heron snatched this vole from a mat of ice plants along Jetty Campground, Doran Beach, Bodega Bay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Great Blue Heron snatched this vole from a mat of ice plants along Jetty Campground, Doran Beach, Bodega Bay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Painted Lady and an Ice Plant

When you're sheltering in, you can still take the dog for a walk--and look for insects. We spotted this Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui)...

A Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) flutters on ice plant in West Vacaville on March 20, 2020. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) flutters on ice plant in West Vacaville on March 20, 2020. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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