Butterflies hanging out
What a delightful surprise it always is to happen upon these lovely creatures, while working in the garden. The Common Checkered Skipper...
The popular, humble dandelion
Dandelion blossoms provide nectar to pollinators from spring through fall. Dandelions aren't everyone's favorite, they always bring cheer...
Honey Bee and California Hairstreak feasting on blackberry nectar
Stand or sit still for a while outdoors and you will see so much in nature that you never expected. I was standing on our patio in the...
Painted Lady resting in late afternoon sun
A Painted Lady Vanessa cardui spent a good fifteen minutes resting in the late afternoon sun. The leaf of a Tiger Eye abutilon plant in...
Poignant elegy for a monarch butterfly
Kathy Contrino, NY, wrote this very moving post in a private facebook group where we are both members, including her photos, about a...
Monarch chrysalis in a curious place
I read today that some monarch caterpillars will weave their silk pads and attach to the underside of stones and proceed to pupate. When...
Yellow-Faced Bumble Bee on a Blue Thimble Flower
Yellow-Faced Bumble Bees, Bombus vosnesenskii, have been constant visitors in our garden ever since early spring. I don't remember seeing...
Monarch caterpillars on their way
After a few weeks of ...now you see them, now you don't, we've observed three caterpillars eat their way into fifth instar. This number...
Firecracker Skimmer is here to stay
The Firecracker or Flame Skimmer female apparently has discovered a good afternoon resting spot on our patio. For the past three days she...
Buckeye Butterfly visitor
How exciting! My first sighting of a buckeye butterfly Junonia coenia in our garden! And just a day after seeing leaf cutting bees on...
