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Posts Tagged: sunflower

A Monarch Kind of Day

What we've been waiting for all season... A migratory monarch butterfly fluttered into our Vacaville garden at noon today (Tuesday, Sept. 17)...

A female monarch nectaring on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotunifola, in a Vacaville garden at noon, Sept. 17, 2024. At left is a territorial male longhorned bee, probably Melissodes agilis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female monarch nectaring on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotunifola, in a Vacaville garden at noon, Sept. 17, 2024. At left is a territorial male longhorned bee, probably Melissodes agilis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female monarch nectaring on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotunifola, in a Vacaville garden at noon, Sept. 17, 2024. At left is a territorial male longhorned bee, probably Melissodes agilis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female monarch butterfly lifts off the Tithonia. This image was taken with a Nikon D500 with a 200mm macro lens. Settings: 1/4000 of a second; f-stop, 5.6; ISO 640.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The female monarch butterfly lifts off the Tithonia. This image was taken with a Nikon D500 with a 200mm macro lens. Settings: 1/4000 of a second; f-stop, 5.6; ISO 640.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The female monarch butterfly lifts off the Tithonia. This image was taken with a Nikon D500 with a 200mm macro lens. Settings: 1/4000 of a second; f-stop, 5.6; ISO 640.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch descends, ready to head to another blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The monarch descends, ready to head to another blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch descends, ready to head to another blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

She lifts up and away she goes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
She lifts up and away she goes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

She lifts up and away she goes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 8:24 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Jackie-in-the-Box

In your childhood, somebody probably gave you a jack-in-the-box toy, a music box that you crank up, and then the lid springs opens and out pops...

A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, pops up between the petals of a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Surprise! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, pops up between the petals of a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Surprise! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, pops up between the petals of a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Surprise! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 6:45 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Battle Between a Butterfly and a Bee

So, here you are, a newly eclosed Western tiger swallowtail, Papilio rutulus, eager to sip some nectar from a Mexican sunflower,...

A Western tiger swallowtail, aware that a territorial bee is about to attack, raises its tails to ward off the intruder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Western tiger swallowtail, aware that a territorial bee is about to attack, raises its tails to ward off the intruder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Western tiger swallowtail, aware that a territorial bee is about to attack, raises its tails to ward off the intruder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail begins to take flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Western tiger swallowtail begins to take flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail begins to take flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail leaps off as the bee draws closer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Western tiger swallowtail leaps off as the bee draws closer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail leaps off as the bee draws closer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail escapes a hit by the longhorned bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Western tiger swallowtail escapes a hit by the longhorned bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail escapes a hit by the longhorned bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 4:12 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

A Tiger and a Tithonia

When a tiger meets a Tithonia, or a Tithonia meets a tiger, Nature bursts forth in all its glory. Such was the case when we spotted a Western...

A Western tiger swallowtail lands on a Mexican sunflower and begins to nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Western tiger swallowtail lands on a Mexican sunflower and begins to nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Western tiger swallowtail lands on a Mexican sunflower and begins to nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail decides that
The Western tiger swallowtail decides that "leaving" is good. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Western tiger swallowtail decides that "leaving" is good. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The
The "tiger" begins to make a quick exit. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The "tiger" begins to make a quick exit. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tail up, and off it goes, the Western tiger swallowtail caught in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tail up, and off it goes, the Western tiger swallowtail caught in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tail up, and off it goes, the Western tiger swallowtail caught in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Gulf Frit and Tithonia: Showstoppers

The Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, and the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, seem made for one another. Both are a showy orange....

A Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, fluttering over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, fluttering over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, fluttering over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 8:06 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

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