Posts Tagged: California golden poppy

Lawn-pocalypse! Surviving Drought

Ah, summer! The season of sunburns, pool parties, and… lawn droughts. If your once lush, green carpet now looks like a crunchy brown doormat, you're not alone. Let's dive into why your yard is staging a dramatic death scene and what you can do to...

Bermuda grass and weeds overtaking drought stressed turf grass.

A patch of former lawn, mostly dead, with a few green weeds and Bermudagrass

No Sweat....Just Pollen...

Look closely at a patch of California golden poppies and you may see a sweat bee (genus Halictus) collecting gold pollen. The pollen basket is on the hind legs but you'll see "gold" also dusting the head and abdomen. Native bee, commonly...

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, collecting pollen from a California golden poppy, the state flower. Both the bee and the flower are natives of California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, collecting pollen from a California golden poppy, the state flower. Both the bee and the flower are natives of California. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, rolling in the pollen of a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sweat bee, genus Halictus and family Halictidae, rolling in the pollen of a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

There Is No Planet 'B'

There is no "Planet B."  The Earth is all we have. Today, April 22, is Earth Day (an annual event launched April 22, 1970) and what a perfect occasion to celebrate a native bee and a native wildflower.  Bombus vosnesenskii,aka the...

A yellow-faced bumble bee,Bombus vosnesenskii, buzzes into a barely opened California golden poppy in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee,Bombus vosnesenskii, buzzes into a barely opened California golden poppy in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Check the orange pollen on this yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Check the orange pollen on this yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And we have a lift-off! The pollen basket is easily recognized here. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And we have a lift-off! The pollen basket is easily recognized here. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready for take-off! The bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, prepares to leave the California golden poppy. Both are natives. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ready for take-off! The bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, prepares to leave the California golden poppy. Both are natives. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarchs and California Golden Poppies: Color Them Orange

Monarchs and California golden poppies...Color them orange...Color them bold...Color them beautiful... And color them natives... The California golden poppy, Eschscholzia californica, California's state flower, is popping up all over, while...

Color them orange: A California golden poppy and a monarch butterfly in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Color them orange: A California golden poppy and a monarch butterfly in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Sorry, Bee, I'm Closed for Bees-Ness

A honey bee heads for a patch of California golden poppies. She finds a blossom she likes.  Bee: "Hey, Goldie Locks, I'm here to collect some nectar and pollen." Goldie Locks: "You're what?" Bee: "I want to collect some of your nectar and...

"Open up!" A honey bee attempts to enter a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Open up!" A honey bee attempts to enter a California golden poppy. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Maybe I'll try this entrance." The honey bee doesn't realize that some flowers close for the night. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Maybe I'll try this entrance." The honey bee doesn't realize that some flowers close for the night. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Please, please open?" The honey bee makes no progress. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"Please, please open?" The honey bee makes no progress. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

"You're closed for bee-ness?" the honey bee mumbles. "Oh, well, guess I'll come back tomorrow."

"You're closed for bee-ness?" the honey bee mumbles. "Oh, well, guess I'll come back tomorrow."

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