Bug Squad

Last spring you may have seen honey bees pollinating the showy pomegranate blossoms. The ancient fruit, first cultivated around 4000 B.C. in Persia and known as "the fruit of kings," bursts with flavor, antioxidants and medicinal qualities.

A perfect perch. A young male variegated meadowhawk dragonfly, Sympetrum corruptum, found a perfect perch--a seed ball of Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in our pollinator garden in Vacaville, Calif. It towered over the garden and so did he.

So here it is Monday, Oct. 10 and the monarch butterflies are still laying eggs on our milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. "Mrs. October" fluttered down to our tropical milkweed at 4:30 p.m. today and began laying eggs on three tropical milkweeds (Asclepias curassavica).

This just in for Halloween! Ever seen a false black widow spider? Commonly known as the cupboard spider, it's a semi-cosmopolitan spider that's often confused with the "real" black widow spider, known for its powerful venom.

Late bloomers. Late eaters. Monarch butterflies are migrating now, but we're still finding a few caterpillars in our pollinator garden in Vacaville, Calif.