![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_97a12e732696433fa8f421d99fab15a6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_97a12e732696433fa8f421d99fab15a6~mv2.webp)
![Wowee! A Blue Eyed Darner Damselfly](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_97a12e732696433fa8f421d99fab15a6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_97a12e732696433fa8f421d99fab15a6~mv2.webp)
Wowee! A Blue Eyed Darner Damselfly
I stepped out to the patio late this afternoon, and immediately a damselfly buzzed past my head. Several of these have been flying around...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8aff5e3fd57240e4b861b8de730603d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8aff5e3fd57240e4b861b8de730603d9~mv2.webp)
![Whew, that was close](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8aff5e3fd57240e4b861b8de730603d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8aff5e3fd57240e4b861b8de730603d9~mv2.webp)
Whew, that was close
A close call in the garden, that I wasn't aware of until I got very near to the action. The leaf cutting bee is on a blossom of the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_4d8eeb00bb4846edb3a99f24ac18307f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_4d8eeb00bb4846edb3a99f24ac18307f~mv2.webp)
![Pollinators in the heat](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_4d8eeb00bb4846edb3a99f24ac18307f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_4d8eeb00bb4846edb3a99f24ac18307f~mv2.webp)
Pollinators in the heat
As long as there are food sources, the pollinators will visit. Here a Summer Long-Horned Bee, possibly a Long-Horned Sunflower Bee...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_c30accb10c134c0a8db760796baa2f98~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_c30accb10c134c0a8db760796baa2f98~mv2.webp)
![Still thriving](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_c30accb10c134c0a8db760796baa2f98~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_c30accb10c134c0a8db760796baa2f98~mv2.webp)
Still thriving
We have experienced a heat wave followed by terrible wildfires in the area, as well as very poor air quality. Here in the area where we...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_4da4a14558a748c9ae50b50392825f2c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_4da4a14558a748c9ae50b50392825f2c~mv2.webp)
![Red Squirrel and the Juniper Berries](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_4da4a14558a748c9ae50b50392825f2c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_4da4a14558a748c9ae50b50392825f2c~mv2.webp)
Red Squirrel and the Juniper Berries
Our next door neighbor has a huge juniper tree that is growing along their fence and provides shade on our walkway.The tree is quite...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_2830fc00f00240d28108791caffd1678~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_2830fc00f00240d28108791caffd1678~mv2.webp)
![Last Monarch Caterpillars of the Season](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_2830fc00f00240d28108791caffd1678~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_2830fc00f00240d28108791caffd1678~mv2.webp)
Last Monarch Caterpillars of the Season
Look who's in their last instar, eating up before moving on to pupate. This plump caterpillar hatched from an egg that was laid on a...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8f5655f5f6834b79af213389f19ea99c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8f5655f5f6834b79af213389f19ea99c~mv2.webp)
![Digger Bees Thriving](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8f5655f5f6834b79af213389f19ea99c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8f5655f5f6834b79af213389f19ea99c~mv2.webp)
Digger Bees Thriving
Those busy little digger bees always find something good in the garden, even now as plants start to go dormant. The Verbena De La Mina...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8443829faf904c2b94edc6676e95f274~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8443829faf904c2b94edc6676e95f274~mv2.webp)
![Yup, monarch caterpillars are still here](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_8443829faf904c2b94edc6676e95f274~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_8443829faf904c2b94edc6676e95f274~mv2.webp)
Yup, monarch caterpillars are still here
Mama monarch keeps visiting and laying eggs, and another generation of monarch caterpillars is thriving on the potted milkweed. Our...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_421e1277d465473d8156a2822e31ba1c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_421e1277d465473d8156a2822e31ba1c~mv2.webp)
![Anna's hummingbird sipping](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_421e1277d465473d8156a2822e31ba1c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_421e1277d465473d8156a2822e31ba1c~mv2.webp)
Anna's hummingbird sipping
Here in the Bay Area, this month has the nickname "Fogust". It's foggy until midday, then the sun breaks through. While the temperatures...
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![Lovely native butterflies](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_a9b46148caac497d964bc77d7bedf7a5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_a9b46148caac497d964bc77d7bedf7a5~mv2.webp)
Lovely native butterflies
Oh, it's the best thing to observe little native butterflies visiting the native patch. It seems that there are more of them in the...