Posts Tagged: bees

Let's Roll!

Let's roll! During the golden hour, right before sunset, have you ever watched a male longhorned bee roll full-barrel over a flower at Top Gun...

A male Melissodes agilis barreling over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis barreling over a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Defensive Measures: Leave Me Alone!

Have you ever seen the defensive antics of a female longhorned bee, sometimes called a sunflower bee, as she's trying to forage on flowers while...

A male Melissodes agilis dives toward the female of his species, but she's not interested. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis dives toward the female of his species, but she's not interested. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a defensive, leave-me-alone measure, the female Melissodes agilis kicks at the male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In a defensive, leave-me-alone measure, the female Melissodes agilis kicks at the male. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Melissodes agilis flies off, leaving the female alone, but not for long. He'll be back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male Melissodes agilis flies off, leaving the female alone, but not for long. He'll be back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get Off My Turf!

Get off my turf! The native bees known as Melissodes, the longhorned bees, start stirring in the early morning. First, they settle on...

A male Melissodes agilis pauses to sip nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male Melissodes agilis pauses to sip nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get off my turf! A male Melissodes agilis bops another male of the species. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Get off my turf! A male Melissodes agilis bops another male of the species. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I said get off my turf." The male Melissodes agilis trying to claim territorial rights.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"I said get off my turf." The male Melissodes agilis trying to claim territorial rights.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bumble Bees and Tithonia: Perfect Match

A perfect match: a bumble bee foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Lately we've been observing a bumble bee, identified as a...

A bumble bee, identified as a male Bombus californicus, foraging on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A bumble bee, identified as a male Bombus californicus, foraging on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male California bumble bee, Bombus californicus, peeks through the flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male California bumble bee, Bombus californicus, peeks through the flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Over here is better. A male Bombus californicus foraging on a Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Over here is better. A male Bombus californicus foraging on a Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male California bumble bee, Bombus californicus, takes flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male California bumble bee, Bombus californicus, takes flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Who Tie-Dyed This Flower?

Did someone come in the middle of night and tie-dye this flower? No, just Mother Nature showing us some tri-colors: combining a brilliant blue,...

The dwarf morning glory, Convolvulus tricolor, putting on a show. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The dwarf morning glory, Convolvulus tricolor, putting on a show. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A fly takes a liking to the dwarf morning glory, Convolvulus tricolor. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A fly takes a liking to the dwarf morning glory, Convolvulus tricolor. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Read more