Since joining the team at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (I format publications for the Pollinator Program), my inherent fascination with bees and beneficial insects like lady beetles and wasps has exploded. I’ve been working with my family for several years to create a tiny little urban oasis for pollinators and beneficial insects on our 0.1 acre lot in Southeast Portland.

Many of the photos shared here are of the huge variety of species we’ve started seeing in the garden since we switched to predominantly native, pollinator-friendly plants. While, my original goal was to try and document all the species that showed up in our garden, that’s become impossible as more and more new species show up every year!

To see more photos from my garden, check out my flickr page or instagram feed.