Many dragonflies are flying on campus this year.  They are particular common around the native plant gardens and in the Heritage Creek Preserve.  Learn more about our local dragonflies at:

• https://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/dragonflies-2017
• http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2017/05/flame-skimmer-dragonfly-libellula.html

Bee Flies – the family Bombyliidae

Bee Fly (Villa lateralis):  a species seen at CSU Dominguez Hills

While most people think of bees when they hear the word ‘pollinator’, in fact a wide range of animals function as pollinators.  To learn more about pollinators in general see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/06/life-friendly-gardening-planning-for.html).

Among the bee-like insects that serve as pollinators are the Bee Flies.  The Family Bombyliidae is a large family of flies with literally hundreds of genera and thousands of species worldwide. The exact number of species is currently unknown, due to a significant lack of research on this family.  For a good review of the main types of  flies seen in Southern California see: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/redmite6.htm

 

To learn more about Bee Flies and their role as beneficial insects, see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/06/bee-flies-family-bombyliidae.html


 

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) foraging on Dune Lupine (Lupinus chamissonis)

The western United States is home to many unique and useful insects. Regional gardeners are starting to appreciate the importance of native pollinators, in part due to the activities of National Pollinator Week (the 3^rd week in June).  To learn more about pollinators in general see our June 2013 posting (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/06/life-friendly-gardening-planning-for.html).

The larger insect pollinators are among the more interesting visitors to S. California gardens.  One of our favorites is the Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii).   This large native bee can be seen from spring to fall in west coast gardens from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico.   In our gardens and natural areas at CSUDH, we most commonly see them from June through August. 

To learn more about this fascinating pollinator see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/06/yellow-faced-bumble-bee-bombus.html