- (Focus Area) Yard & Garden
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
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 tiger swallowtail, Papilio rutulus, foraging for nectar on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden.
It was a newly eclosed swallowtail in perfect form, devoid of ripped, stripped and shattered wings signifying non-successful predatory attempts.
The magnificent butterfly fluttered over the Tithonia, sometimes chased by a territorial longhorned bee. But still it cruised. It raced. It soared.
Spread your wings, little tiger. You have no claws, but you need not pause. The Tithonia, the touchdown, the nectar--they're all yours for the taking.
(Taken with a Nikon D500 with a 200mm lens. Settings: Shutter priority, 1/4000 of a second; f-stop, 6.3; and ISO 800.)
![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)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108656.jpg)
![The Western tiger swallowtail decides that The Western tiger swallowtail decides that](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108657.jpg)
![The The](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108658.jpg)
![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)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108659.jpg)
- Author: Esther N Lofton
Hello and welcome to the SoCal Water Resources Blog, your go-to source for all things related to water in Southern California, especially in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino! Whether you're a concerned citizen, a curious student, an environmental advocate, or a policymaker, this blog is designed to provide you with insightful information, expert opinions, and actionable tips on managing and conserving our most precious resource—water.
Why Water Matters
Water is the lifeblood of Southern California. It's essential for our drinking needs, agriculture, industry, and the natural ecosystems that make our region so unique. However, Southern California faces significant challenges, including drought, climate change, population growth, and pollution. Understanding these issues is crucial for fostering sustainable water management practices that will ensure a reliable water supply for future generations.
What You Can Expect in this blog!
We will dive deep into a wide array of topics concerning water resources in the region. Here's a sneak peek at what you can look forward to:
- Drinking and Environmental Water Quality
Discover the intricate factors affecting our drinking water and environmental water quality. Learn about the stringent measures in place to ensure safe drinking water and how you can contribute to protecting our natural water bodies from pollution.
- Water Use Efficiency and Conservation
Explore practical tips and innovative strategies for using water more efficiently in your home and community. From drought-tolerant landscaping to advanced irrigation techniques, we'll share methods to conserve water and reduce waste, ensuring every drop counts.
- Water Supply Security
Stay informed about the sources of our water supply, the challenges we face, and the innovative solutions being implemented to secure a reliable water future. Learn about local reservoirs, groundwater management, and the role of imported water in meeting Southern California's needs.
- Water Equity
Delve into the important topic of water equity, understanding how access to clean and affordable water is a fundamental human right. We'll discuss the disparities in water access and quality and highlight initiatives aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of water resources for all communities.
- Policy and Management
Stay updated on water policies, regulations, and management practices that shape how we use and protect our water resources.
- Sustainability Initiatives
Get inspired by local and global sustainability initiatives aimed at improving water efficiency and resilience.
- Community Spotlight
Highlight stories of individuals, organizations, and communities making a difference in water conservation and management.
- Educational Resources
Access a wealth of resources, including articles, infographics, videos, and webinars designed to educate and empower you to become a water steward.
Join the Conversation
We believe that everyone has a role to play in ensuring a sustainable and equitable water future. Your insights, questions, and feedback are invaluable to us. We encourage you to engage with our content, share your thoughts in the comments, and connect with us on social media. Together, we can foster a community of informed and proactive water stewards.
Stay Connected
To stay updated with the latest posts, tips, and news, be sure to subscribe to our blog using this form and follow us on our social media platforms. We are excited to embark on this journey with you and look forward to exploring the intricate world of water resources together. You can also access our website using this link.
Thank you for joining us. Let's work together to ensure a secure, equitable, and sustainable water future for Southern California.
Warm regards,
Esther Lofton
The SoCal Water Resources Blog Team
Together, we can make every drop count!
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, and the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, seem made for one another.
Both are a showy orange. Both are show-stoppers. And both attract a photographer's eye.
Especially when a Gulf Frit flutters over a Tithonia on a warm sunny day in a Vacaville garden.
A shutter speed of 1/5000 of a second (Nikon D500 with a 200mm lens) stopped the action.
"This dazzling bit of the New World Tropics was introduced into southern California in the 19th Century--we don't know how--and was first recorded in the Bay Area before 1908, though it seems to have become established there only in the 1950s," writes butterfly guru Art Shapiro, UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus, on his website, Art's Butterfly World. "It can be quite common in the East and South Bay --particularly in Berkeley-- and has been found breeding spontaneously as far inland as Fairfield where, however, it is not established."
Shapiro, who has monitored butterfly populations in Central California since 1972, continues: "There are scattered records in the Central Valley and even up to Folsom, perhaps resulting from people breeding the species for amusement or to release at social occasions. According to Hal Michael, who grew up in South Sacramento, this species bred there in abundance on garden Passiflora in the early 1960s. It seems to have died out by the early 1970s, however. Intolerant of hard freezes, it still managed to survive the record cold snap of 1990 that largely exterminated the Buckeye regionally!"
"This butterfly has no native host plant in California and is entirely dependent on introduced species of the tropical genus Passiflora (Passion Flower, Passion Vine), including the common Maypop (P. incarnata) and P. X alatocaerulea. However, it will not eat all of the Passiflora in cultivation in California."
"In the Bay Area this species can be seen flying any day of the year, if it is warm and sunny enough."
On this day in Vacaville, it was indeed warm and sunny enough: 100 degrees.
![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)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108643.jpg)
Just a few more weeks of summer remain! As the weather begins to shift, you may need to adjust your landscaping practices to prevent and monitor for fall pests. The UC IPM Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist is a monthly guide to help you avoid common pests of landscape plants.
Here are some general tips for the month of September to prevent pests and their damage in the garden and landscape. Visit the checklist online to see more pest management to-dos for your region.
- Monitor citrus plants for signs of pests such as Asian citrus psyllid or leafminers.
- Adjust irrigation to account for any change in weather and increased rainfall.
- Inspect apple, citrus and especially Prunus species (e.g., stone fruit) for bacterial blast, blight, and canker. Remove entire affected branches in the summer, making cuts several inches away in healthy wood.
- Check for aphids. Most established plants can tolerate aphid feeding. On small plants, knock aphids off with a strong stream of water or apply insecticidal oils and soaps to manage.
- Check for signs of powdery mildew on apple, crape myrtle, grape, rose, and stone fruits.
- Manage ants around landscapes and building foundations using insecticide baits and trunk barriers.
- Look for leaffooted bugs feeding on fruit and nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and pomegranates.
Don't see your county on the checklist or want to provide feedback? Let us know!
![Pest tips for September. Pest tips for September.](http://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/108625.png)
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
So here's this praying mantis, a female Mantis religiosa, tucked beneath a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in a Vacaville garden.
She's as still as a stone, and you know how still stones are.
Along comes a honey bee, Apis mellifera. She's packing a load of orange pollen. She lands on the blossom and begins foraging.
She does not see the mantis, commonly known as "the European mantis."
The mantis sees her.
What happened?
Well, Ms. Bee continued to forage, oblivious to the predator and the pending danger, and then buzzed away.
Ms. Mantis remained as still as a stone.
And then, she, too, took flight...in the opposite direction.
No prayers answered today--for the mantis.
![A honey bee forages on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, as a female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, perches below. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) A honey bee forages on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, as a female praying mantis, Mantis religiosa, perches below. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/108623.jpg)