Bug Squad

Today was a glorious day in the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden in the UC Davis Arboretum. Absolutely glorious. The scent of the Korean lilac, Syringa patula, drew several pipevine swallowtails (Battus philenor), their iridescent blue hind wings gleaming in the late morning sun.

Okay, where are they? Shouldn't they be emerging soon? They're in Davis and Suisun. Why not Vacaville? We've been waiting--not so patiently after this long winter--for the reappearance of the showy Gulf Fritillary butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) on our passionflower vine (Passiflora).

We're not the only ones "celebrating" the first week of spring. The oleander aphids are doing a happy dance on our milkweed plants. We think they're doing a mixture of the tango, cha-cha-cha, salsa and merengue.

It's definitely a bee friendly plant, packed with nectar and pollen. The cherry laurel, Prunus caroliniana, a member of the rose family, draws honey bees as if there's no tomorrow.

At first glance, it appeared to be a gnat circling our head. Then it landed on our passionflower vine (Passiflora). It cooperatively stayed still for a photo (taken with a Nikon D800 mounted with a 105mm macro lens) and then returned to its nest, a hole in the ground.