Bug Blog
Ridin' the Rails With a Butterfly
Quick! What butterfly is depicted on the California State Fair monorail train? Hint: It's the state insect. "What, we have a state insect?" you ask. Yes, and it's the California dogface butterfly...
California dogface butterfly is illustrated on the California State Fair monorail. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
All Wrapped Up
Just call it a missed opportunity. Catmint (genus Nepeta) draws scores of insects, from honey bees to leafcutter bees to European wool carder bees. It also draws spiders. We usually see a cellar...
A cellar spider eyes a honey bee in the catmint (Nepeta). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
All wrapped up--a cellar spider nabs another cellar spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Touchdown! At Last!
For months, I've been waiting ah, so patiently (well, not always s-o-o-o patiently) for the gulf fritillary butterfly to touch down on our Mexican sunflower, Tithonia. A perfect match, I figured....
Gulf fritillary butterfly. Agraulis vanillae, lands on Mexican sunflower, Tithonia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf fritillary butterfly spreads its wings. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A perfect match: gulf fritillary on Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Big on the Bulbine
Look at the Xylocopa on the Xanthorrhoeaceae. If that sounds like a mouthful, think of the mountain or foothill carpenter bees, Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex, on bulbine from the genus...
A male mountain carpenter bee, Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex, nectaring on bulbine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male mountain carpenter bee, Xylocopa tabaniformis orpifex, caught in flight. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Making of a Bee
Take one nationally celebrated artist and one nationally renowned entomologist. Blend together. Add their deep concern for the declining honey bee population. Then just add bees. Ceramic...
The Miss Bee Haven Project starts with a lump of clay. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Special tools are used. The hole is for a metal rod. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Paint is added next. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Wings receive special treatment. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Almost ready to fire in the kiln. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The finished product: a ceramic bee on a metal rod. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)