Bug Squad

Seen any monarchs lately? No, not the British royal family: the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus.

Beauty at its best. If see the perennial shrub, Anisodontea sp. Strybing Beauty,' a member of the family Malvaceae (mallows), chances are you'll see bees pollinating the rosy pink blossoms. It's an early bloomer, a mid-bloomer and late bloomer. Yes, it blooms year-around. It's a year-around bloomer.

If you grow citrus, you've probably been introduced to the introduced European earwig, Forficula auricularia, the most common of the earwig species infesting the fruit here in California.

One point about insect wedding photography is that you don't need an invitation to attend. You just have to keep your distance and not disturb the bridal couple. No sudden movements. No stressful impatience. And no camera flash, please.

Where are the monarch butterflies?