Posts Tagged: Matthew Shepherd

Status of Overwintering Monarchs in California

Is the overwintering monarch butterfly population along California's coast increasing or decreasing? "So far,  far the picture is rather mixed for the number of monarchs in California," according to Matthew Shepherd, communications director...

Monarch butterfly roosting in Berkeley Aquatic Park in November. They are at the 14th disc golf course in an ash tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarch butterfly roosting in Berkeley Aquatic Park in November. They are at the 14th disc golf course in an ash tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarchs nectaring on milkweed in November in Vacaville, Calif. The milkweed is their host plant. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarchs nectaring on milkweed in November in Vacaville, Calif. The milkweed is their host plant. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Wake-Up Call to Conserve California's Monarchs

It's been called a "wake-up call." And that it is. It's designed to alert people to a problem that needs fixing. And that's good news for the monarch butterflies. California Gov. Jerry Brown has just signed Assembly Bill 559, which gives authority to...

A monarch butterfly nectaring on a butterfly bush in Vacaville, Calif. today (Oct. 10). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch butterfly nectaring on a butterfly bush in Vacaville, Calif. today (Oct. 10). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch touches down and rests on a bee condo in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch touches down and rests on a bee condo in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

'Bee' One in a Million

You can "bee" one in a million. You can "bee" more than you ever thought of "bee-ing." And when you do, you'll be helping the bees, butterflies, beetles and bats. In June, the National Pollinator Garden Network launched the Million Pollinator...

Matthew Shepherd's front yard at his home in Beaverton, Ore., draws scores of pollinators. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Shepherd)

Matthew Shepherd's front yard at his home in Beaverton, Ore., draws scores of pollinators. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Shepherd)

Matthew Shepherd's backyard at his home in Beaverton, Ore. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Shepherd)

Matthew Shepherd's backyard at his home in Beaverton, Ore. (Photo courtesy of Matthew Shepherd)

Red-shouldered ctenucha moth (Ctenucha rubroscapus) on English lavender. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

Red-shouldered ctenucha moth (Ctenucha rubroscapus) on English lavender. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

Woodland skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides) on English lavender. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

Woodland skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides) on English lavender. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

A sweat bee (Halictus sp.) in California poppy. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

A sweat bee (Halictus sp.) in California poppy. (Photo by Matthew Shepherd)

Bed Check!

All winter long my bee condo housed 16 tenants...and one earwig. And quite comfortably, too, thank you. It all began last fall when the leafcutting bees laid their eggs, provisioned each nest with a nectar/pollen ball, and plugged it with leaves. Just...

Newly emerged leafcutter bee outside her nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Newly emerged leafcutter bee outside her nest. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

One leafcutter bee is tucked in head first; the other is ready to leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

One leafcutter bee is tucked in head first; the other is ready to leave. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Native Bee Calendar Focuses on 'Pin-Up Girls'--and Boys

Humans aren't the only calendar pin-up models. Think native bees. Think the 2010 Native Bees Calendar. The Xerces Society and the Great Sunflower Project have joined forces to produce a calendar showcasing 12 commonly found native bees. You'll be...

Spectacular Photography

SPECTACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY of entomologist Rollin Coville, who received his doctorate in entomology from UC Berkeley, graces the 2010 Native Bees Calendar, a fundraising project of the Xerces Society and the Great Sunflower Project. (Photos courtesy of Rollin Coville)

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