Exclusive! Insect Paparazzi

 

I've been obsessed with the air traffic among the garden lately.  Check out the detail of the wings on this honeybee making a mess of himself in the Clarkia pollen!

 

 

The Carpenter bees have finally begun to collect pollen, too as they prepare their nurseries.  The exciting find of today, however...  the first Dragonfly sighting in my garden- ever!  (Yes, I realize I'm becoming a fanatic.)

 

It landed on my Dudleya hassei and even stayed long enough for me to dash inside to get the camera.  I think it's a Pastel Skimmer, or Sympetrum corruptum.  Those orange stripes are so fashionable!

 

Last and most certainly least, a Green Bottle Fly.  Not exactly what I'd like to attract to my garden, but I really do love the green metallic color, like the gas tank on a motorcycle.  What insects have you come across this season?

Buckeyes vs. Bees

So it all started last Spring when I saw the buckeyes in bloom and I.  Had.  To.  Have.  One.  So I planted one right after Christmas and it's already playing peek-a-boo with it's leaves.  Then my brother gave me an awesome book about Backyard Beekeeping from this great little shop in Sacramento.  Cool!  Then, I remembered that Aesculus californica pollen and nectar is poisonous to European honeybees.  But, I asked, how poisonous?  Does the bee realize it's bad and avoid it or does he naively sip away to his own doom?   Oh, what's a urban farmer/native gardener to do when she wants it all?  Well, here's what I turned up in terms of internet research:

This article by CNPS doesn't discuss the Aesculus/bee relationship extensively, but it does provide a fun, short read about the relationship between insects and native plants.

This page talks about the symptoms of honeybees that can't help themselves and partake of the pollen/nectar.  There aren't disturbing pictures, but I did feel very bad for the bees after reading it.  Sensitive folks take note before clicking on the link.

And finally, Bingo!  A page that concisely answers my question.  Buckeyes greatly benefit the native insect world, but if you have many other blooming plants for the European bees, they'll choose healthier options.

Of course, since this is the internets, I take this advice with a grain of salt.  It is a start, however.  It would be great to hear Gordon Frankie's opinion.  He runs the Urban Bee Research project and I keep meaning to take one of his classes.  Can anyone else weigh in on this subject?