![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_83d55ae4fc6f4940a716eccaa049908a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_83d55ae4fc6f4940a716eccaa049908a~mv2.webp)
![Mining Bee and the Tricolored Gilia](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_83d55ae4fc6f4940a716eccaa049908a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_83d55ae4fc6f4940a716eccaa049908a~mv2.webp)
Mining Bee and the Tricolored Gilia
Just as I hoped, the Tricolored, or Birds Eye Gilia reseeded throughout our native plant patch, and now there is a lovely mini-meadow....
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_0e07956960db478aa117529737985f98~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_0e07956960db478aa117529737985f98~mv2.webp)
![Ivory Banded Digger Bee!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_0e07956960db478aa117529737985f98~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_0e07956960db478aa117529737985f98~mv2.webp)
Ivory Banded Digger Bee!
Gotcha! This is the first ivory banded digger bee Anthophora californica I spotted this year in the garden. It most likely is a female,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_1439a53b1c4c4ec99bf4a6590f6dc12d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_1439a53b1c4c4ec99bf4a6590f6dc12d~mv2.webp)
![The much maligned, beneficial wasp](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_1439a53b1c4c4ec99bf4a6590f6dc12d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_1439a53b1c4c4ec99bf4a6590f6dc12d~mv2.webp)
The much maligned, beneficial wasp
I took this photo last weekend of a Sapygid Wasp on one of the Yellow Coastal Bush Lupine blossoms Lupinus arboreus . And see the nasty...
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![Happy Earth Day!](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_0c7b85c7949d47acadf663812a0cc943~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_0c7b85c7949d47acadf663812a0cc943~mv2.webp)
Happy Earth Day!
And here are images from our garden as examples of why Earth Day should be observed every day. Above is a Yellow Faced Bumble Bee Bombus...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_487a3bf0e30040958879613d49000ce7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_487a3bf0e30040958879613d49000ce7~mv2.webp)
![Yellow Faced Bumble Bee in the Ray Hartman ceanothus](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_487a3bf0e30040958879613d49000ce7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_487a3bf0e30040958879613d49000ce7~mv2.webp)
Yellow Faced Bumble Bee in the Ray Hartman ceanothus
Bees are very busy in the garden now. Just look at the pollen basket on this Yellow-Faced Bumble Bee Bombus vosnesenskii . These are the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_2be6ff9caff749a68b155c7a615b49ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_2be6ff9caff749a68b155c7a615b49ef~mv2.webp)
![Black Bottomed Bumble Bee and the Silver Bush Lupine blossoms](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_2be6ff9caff749a68b155c7a615b49ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_2be6ff9caff749a68b155c7a615b49ef~mv2.webp)
Black Bottomed Bumble Bee and the Silver Bush Lupine blossoms
Look who is visiting the Silver Bush Lupine Lupinus albifrons “Silver Bush Lupine”. It's a Black Bottomed Bumble Bee, and look at the...
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![First carpenter bee sighting of the year](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5076d7fcb44148d4902e59e64943de42~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5076d7fcb44148d4902e59e64943de42~mv2.webp)
First carpenter bee sighting of the year
Here is my first carpenter bee sighting of the year on our patio. It is a male Mountain Carpenter Bee Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_e3036fcf764d4aeb967e64d11e22d699~mv2_d_2165_1443_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_e3036fcf764d4aeb967e64d11e22d699~mv2_d_2165_1443_s_2.webp)
![Honey Bee and Borage Blossoms](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_e3036fcf764d4aeb967e64d11e22d699~mv2_d_2165_1443_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_e3036fcf764d4aeb967e64d11e22d699~mv2_d_2165_1443_s_2.webp)
Honey Bee and Borage Blossoms
What a great weekend to observe bees, birds and butterflies! The weather was lovely with warmer temperatures and sunshine. We love the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_57f2313fecf64ef48e34da10930f1681~mv2_d_2020_1346_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_57f2313fecf64ef48e34da10930f1681~mv2_d_2020_1346_s_2.webp)
![What's for lunch?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_57f2313fecf64ef48e34da10930f1681~mv2_d_2020_1346_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_57f2313fecf64ef48e34da10930f1681~mv2_d_2020_1346_s_2.webp)
What's for lunch?
It's so wonderful to see in the garden several plants blooming almost throughout the year, providing nourishment and habitat for the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_f8223d64da13480fa139a3c39b2ab585~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_f8223d64da13480fa139a3c39b2ab585~mv2.webp)
![Well hello there, honey bee](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_f8223d64da13480fa139a3c39b2ab585~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_f8223d64da13480fa139a3c39b2ab585~mv2.webp)
Well hello there, honey bee
It was a dry and fairly sunny day today and some bees were out and about in the garden. For example this honey bee perched on top of a...