Bug Blog
Eureka! A Western Bumble Bee
Many of us in California have never seen the Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) Many of us never will. Native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology at the...
Close-up of a male Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis) found Aug. 15 at Mt. Shasta. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Another view of the male Western bumble bee found on Mt. Shasta. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Documenting the rare find. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp is a retired UC Davis professor, but continues his full-time research. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Turning Over a New Leaf (Footed Bug)
When you first see the leaffooted bug, you know immediately how it got its name. The appendages on its feet look like leaves! This morning we saw one in our catmint (Nepeta) patch. It crawled...
Close-up of leaffooted bug. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Leaffooted bugs making pomegranates their kitchen, living room and bedroom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Beady eyes, colorful antennae and appendages on its feet that look like leaves. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In Mint Condition
if you're growing plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae--you know, the plants with the square stalks and opposite leaves--you may see a very tiny reddish-orange visitor. It's so tiny that it's...
What's behind the catmint leaf (Nepeta)? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This is a California Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta californicalis) on catmint. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of California Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta californicalis) on catmint. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Up, Close and Personal
If you've ever glimpsed a European wool carder bee foraging in your yard, chances are that's all you saw--a glimpse. The wool carder bees (Anthidium manicatum), so named because the females collect...
Male European wool carder bee heads for a catmint (Nepeta) leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male European wool carder bee on catmint (Nepeta). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Sharing a Sunflower
You often see a single solitary bee on a sunflower. Perhaps it's a sunflower bee (Svastra) or a honey bee (Apis mellifera). But four on one? Sharing a sunflower? Yes. If you look closely at...
This photo shows a honey bee (bottom left), a sunflower bee, Svastra, (center) and a sweat bee, Halictus ligatus, with another sweat bee, Halictus tripartus, coming in for a landing. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)