Posts Tagged: pollen

Monarch Butterflies as Pollinators

"More than beautiful, monarch butterflies contribute to the health of our planet. While feeding on nectar, they pollinate many types of wildflowers.--National Park Service. Have you ever seen pollen on a monarch butterfly? This morning a male migrating...

Bees are the most well known pollinators, but butterflies, including monarchs, are pollinators, too. This monarch butterfly, sipping nectar in a Vacaville garden, came up with a head full of pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bees are the most well known pollinators, but butterflies, including monarchs, are pollinators, too. This monarch butterfly, sipping nectar in a Vacaville garden, came up with a head full of pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Celebrating the Honey Bee on Labor Day

It's Labor Day but "The Girls" continue to work. "The Girls" are the honey bees, a great example of a matriarchal society. How many workers (girls) do you see foraging on your flowers? But inside the hive, "The Girls" are nurse maids, nannies,...

A honey bee, packing a load of orange pollen, buzzes over a red zinnia in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee, packing a load of orange pollen, buzzes over a red zinnia in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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 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 'Morning' Carpenter Bee and an Evening Primrose

As National Pollinator Month winds down, let's visit a "morning" carpenter bee and an evening primrose. The evening primrose, Oenothera biennis, native to the Americas, is unique in that it blooms as night (as its name implies) and dies back at...

A female Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa sonorina, heads for evening primrose in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female Valley carpenter bee, Xylocopa sonorina, heads for evening primrose in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee slides inside the evening primrose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee slides inside the evening primrose. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee rolling in the pollen of the evening primrose. Note the metallic wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Valley carpenter bee rolling in the pollen of the evening primrose. Note the metallic wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And it's off to forage in another blossom. Valley carpenter bee is loaded with pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

And it's off to forage in another blossom. Valley carpenter bee is loaded with pollen. (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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