Tag Archives: insects

Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beetles!

If you look closely, you’ll see Frank. It was a tough year for the garden, and a tough year for the forest as well.  Drought-weakened trees succumbed to beetles all throughout the county, including many in my little bit of … Continue reading

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Of Butterflies and Bulbils

Instead of making seeds, shallots, like some other Alliums, produce bulbils – essentially tiny little shallots – at the end of their flower stalks.  The heavy cluster of bulbils at the end of the long flower stalk will eventually fall … Continue reading

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Apologies to the Ants

Poking around the garden just now, I moved a particular rusted cooking pan… I don’t know much about ant architecture, but apparently this minimalist shelter was the perfect spot for an ant nursery, piled high with the kind of juicy pupae … Continue reading

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Busy Bees

Bees are busy working the lavender this morning.  Some days, there are a dozen varieties of insect nectar-seekers on this bush – European honey bees, native California bees, moths and butterflies – but this morning just the one.  I wish … Continue reading

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