Posts Tagged: narrow-leafed milkweed

A Mantis on the Milkweed

So here's this immature praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. She's camouflaged quite well. She's as green and thin as the leaves. Me: "Hey, Ms....

A camouflaged praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A camouflaged praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, perched on a narrow-leafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Praying mantis perched on a milkweed, the host plant for monarchs. She seems to be saying: "Sure, I'm occupying a milkweed, but I promise I'll never even LOOK at a monarch. I'll close my eyes should one flutter by." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Praying mantis perched on a milkweed, the host plant for monarchs. She seems to be saying: "Sure, I'm occupying a milkweed, but I promise I'll never even LOOK at a monarch. I'll close my eyes should one flutter by." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis keeps an eye out for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis keeps an eye out for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis assumes the prayerful position--let us prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The mantis assumes the prayerful position--let us prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ever See a Leafcutter Bee Sunning Itself on a Milkweed Leaf?

Well, that's something you don't see every day: a leafcutter bee sunning itself on a milkweed leaf. The narrowleafed milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, beckons monarch butterflies (the host plant), aphids, praying mantids  and...

A leafcutter bee, Megachile spp., rests on a leaf of milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, in a Vacaville, Calif. garden. Both are natives. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A leafcutter bee, Megachile spp., rests on a leaf of milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis, in a Vacaville, Calif. garden. Both are natives. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The leaf is long and the leafcutter bee is short. Leafcutter bees are smaller than honey bees. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The leaf is long and the leafcutter bee is short. Leafcutter bees are smaller than honey bees. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the male leafcutter bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of the male leafcutter bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Happy Father's Day!

Where have you been? For the last several weeks, we've been watching for signs of the first seasonal monarch caterpillar on our narrow-leafed milkweed. The lush leaves refused to yield any secrets. They looked untouched, undisturbed and intact. But on...

A monarch caterpillar chewing on a narrow-leafed milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar chewing on a narrow-leafed milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch butterfly on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). How can you tell it's a male? Note the distinguishable black spot on each hind wing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch butterfly on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). How can you tell it's a male? Note the distinguishable black spot on each hind wing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female monarch butterfly on lavender. Note the absence of the black spots on the hind wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A female monarch butterfly on lavender. Note the absence of the black spots on the hind wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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