Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: red

Packing the Red Pollen

Ever seen a honey bee packing red pollen?  Rock purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora) is one flower that yields red pollen.  It's a drought-tolerant perennial, a succulent. But the most striking part is its color: a neon pink that could...

A honey bee packing red pollen as she visits another rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee packing red pollen as she visits another rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee packing red pollen as she visits another rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A little adjustment of her pollen load and the honey bee reaches a rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A little adjustment of her pollen load and the honey bee reaches a rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A little adjustment of her pollen load and the honey bee reaches a rock purslane blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 6:23 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Innovation, Yard & Garden

'A Lady in Red': Petal Pusher?

It wouldn't make the news, even if it were a "Slow News Day." "Lady in Red Climbs Neon-Pink Petals in Search of Aphids." Lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are coming out of their winter hibernation now and they're hungry. Aphid-hungry. We spotted...

A lady beetle nestled in an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A lady beetle nestled in an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle nestled in an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Let's climb! A lady beetle begins her ascent--up an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Let's climb! A lady beetle begins her ascent--up an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Let's climb! A lady beetle begins her ascent--up an ice plant blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

How am I doing? Am I doing this right? Lady beetle stops. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
How am I doing? Am I doing this right? Lady beetle stops. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

How am I doing? Am I doing this right? Lady beetle stops. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I did it! I climbed my Mount Everest and I'm about to descend. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
I did it! I climbed my Mount Everest and I'm about to descend. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I did it! I climbed my Mount Everest and I'm about to descend. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 3:35 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

Monarch Butterflies: Closer to Extinction

It was a good news/bad news/sad news kind of day on July 21 when the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)  announced that the migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is now on its "Red List of Threatened...

A monarch caterpillar munching away on its host plant, milkweed, in a Vacaville, Calif., garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A monarch caterpillar munching away on its host plant, milkweed, in a Vacaville, Calif., garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar munching away on its host plant, milkweed, in a Vacaville, Calif., garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch chrysalis attached to the underside of a bird feeder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A monarch chrysalis attached to the underside of a bird feeder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch chrysalis attached to the underside of a bird feeder. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A male monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A female monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female monarch butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 3:47 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Yard & Garden

'My Old Flame' Returns

"My old flame" returned Saturday, July 2. A strong north wind aided him. It wasn't the "old flame" from last year, but a new generation. Still, what a beauty of a dragonfly--a red flameskimmer or firecracker skimmer (Libellula saturata), native...

A red flameskimmer or firecracker skimmer  (Libellula saturata) perches on a tomato stake in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A red flameskimmer or firecracker skimmer (Libellula saturata) perches on a tomato stake in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A red flameskimmer or firecracker skimmer (Libellula saturata) perches on a tomato stake in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A strong north wind engulfs the red flameskimmer, turning his wings into head gear. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A strong north wind engulfs the red flameskimmer, turning his wings into head gear. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A strong north wind engulfs the red flameskimmer, turning his wings into head gear. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Big Red, the flameskimmer, agrees to another portrait. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Big Red, the flameskimmer, agrees to another portrait. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Big Red, the flameskimmer, agrees to another portrait. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's on the menu? Big Red, the flameskimmer, returns to his perch to eats his lunch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
What's on the menu? Big Red, the flameskimmer, returns to his perch to eats his lunch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's on the menu? Big Red, the flameskimmer, returns to his perch to eats his lunch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 5:34 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Yard & Garden

Like a Lens to a Flame

It's a delight to see the flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata). This male made its appearance in our Vacaville pollinator garden on May 17, and hung around long enough for me to capture several images. Like a lens to a flame... When...

The male flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) is firecracker red. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The male flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) is firecracker red. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The male flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) is firecracker red. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A different angle, but the same gorgeous flameskimmer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A different angle, but the same gorgeous flameskimmer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A different angle, but the same gorgeous flameskimmer. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 6:16 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

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