Posts Tagged: Benicia Capitol State Historic Park

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)

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)

Flowering Jade Draws Some Pollinators

It's not spring yet, but don't tell that to the pollinators at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. We traveled to the state park on Monday,...

European syrphid fly forages on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. This is a Eristalinus aenus.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

European syrphid fly forages on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. This is a Eristalinus aenus.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on jade at the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

An Awesome Bloomer

At first glance, we thought "Strawberry blossoms!" Not strawberries, though. The white-floral ground cover at the Benicia Capitol State Historic...

Honey bee foraging in bacopa on grounds of the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging in bacopa on grounds of the Benicia Capitol State Historic Park. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pollen-covered Benicia bee on bacopa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pollen-covered Benicia bee on bacopa. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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