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

Posts Tagged: blossoms

Honey Bees Do Love Their Mallow

There's not much blooming this time of year but if and when blossoms burst open, the honey bees are going to find them. Take the Anisodontea capensis, the cape mallow or African mallow.  It's a species in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It...

A honey bee heads for an African mallow, Anisodontea capensis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee heads for an African mallow, Anisodontea capensis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee heads for an African mallow, Anisodontea capensis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's a mallow without a honey bee? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
What's a mallow without a honey bee? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What's a mallow without a honey bee? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 6:24 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Yard & Garden

Bees Buzzing on Breathtakingly Beautiful Berry Blossoms

The alliteration doesn't get much better--bees buzzing on breathtaking berry blossoms. Berry blossoms are in full bloom in the UC Davis Ecological Garden of the Student Farm, part of the UC Agricultural Sustainabilty Institute.  The...

Two honey bees foraging on berry blossoms at the UC Davis Ecological Garden at the Student Farm. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Two honey bees foraging on berry blossoms at the UC Davis Ecological Garden at the Student Farm. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Two honey bees foraging on berry blossoms at the UC Davis Ecological Garden at the Student Farm. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee and a native bee seeking the nectar at the base of the berry blossoms. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee and a native bee seeking the nectar at the base of the berry blossoms. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee and a native bee seeking the nectar at the base of the berry blossoms. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee nectaring on a berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee nectaring on a berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee nectaring on a berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee takes flight--time to head for another berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee takes flight--time to head for another berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee takes flight--time to head for another berry blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 4:36 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Robbin Thorp Began His Career Studying Honey Bees and Almonds

Yes, he began his career studying honey bees. The late Robbin Thorp, the renowned UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor of entomology and global bee authority who will be memorialized at a celebration of life on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in the...

A honey bee packing pollen and nectaring on an almond blossom at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee packing pollen and nectaring on an almond blossom at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee packing pollen and nectaring on an almond blossom at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In his retirement, Robbin Thorp co-authored  two books,
In his retirement, Robbin Thorp co-authored two books, "Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide" and "California Bees and Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In his retirement, Robbin Thorp co-authored two books, "Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide" and "California Bees and Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Robbin Thorp (left), legendary authority on bees, shows UC Davis alumnus Alex Wild the
Robbin Thorp (left), legendary authority on bees, shows UC Davis alumnus Alex Wild the "Miss Bee Haven" sculpture in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's bee garden on Bee Biology Road. Wild, who received his doctorate in entomology at UC Davis, is the curator of entomology at the University of Texas, Austin. This image was taken in 2008. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Robbin Thorp (left), legendary authority on bees, shows UC Davis alumnus Alex Wild the "Miss Bee Haven" sculpture in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's bee garden on Bee Biology Road. Wild, who received his doctorate in entomology at UC Davis, is the curator of entomology at the University of Texas, Austin. This image was taken in 2008. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Economic Development, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

A Beauty of a Day: Bumble Bees in Benicia

If there's anything better than seeing honey bees foraging on almond blossoms, it's this: Bumble bees foraging on almond blossoms. Make that the yellow-faced bumble bees,  Bombus vosnesenskii, in Benicia. Sunday morning as the temperatures soared...

A yellow-faced bumble bee,  Bombus vosnesenskii,heads for an almond blossom in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii,heads for an almond blossom in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii,heads for an almond blossom in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee,  Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on almonds in Benica. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on almonds in Benica. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, nectaring on almonds in Benica. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow thorax and face help identify  Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A yellow thorax and face help identify Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow thorax and face help identify Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A wing of Bombus vosnesenskii glistens in the sun. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A wing of Bombus vosnesenskii glistens in the sun. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A wing of Bombus vosnesenskii glistens in the sun. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow abdominal stripe helps characterize  Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A yellow abdominal stripe helps characterize Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A yellow abdominal stripe helps characterize Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Time to go! Bombus vosnesenskii departs one blossom for another. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Time to go! Bombus vosnesenskii departs one blossom for another. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Time to go! Bombus vosnesenskii departs one blossom for another. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 4:49 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources

'A' is for Almonds and 'B' is for Bees and Bradford Pear Blossoms

No, it's not Valentine's Day, yet. Yes, the almonds are blooming. No, it's not spring. But it looks like spring in Benicia. The almonds are blooming in the Benicia (Calif.) State Recreation Area. Some are on the road at the entrance to the...

Benicia resident Gordon Hough captured this image of a bee nectaring on a Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear or another cultivar) at the Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, Jan. 21, as identified by Daniel Potter, UC Davis professor of plant sciences.
Benicia resident Gordon Hough captured this image of a bee nectaring on a Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear or another cultivar) at the Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, Jan. 21, as identified by Daniel Potter, UC Davis professor of plant sciences.

Benicia resident Gordon Hough captured this image of a bee nectaring on a Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear or another cultivar) at the Benicia State Recreation Area on Monday, Jan. 21, as identified by Daniel Potter, UC Davis professor of plant sciences.

Almonds are blooming in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Almonds are blooming in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Almonds are blooming in Benicia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 4:21 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Economic Development, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources

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