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.
Masked bee Leafcutter bee Convergent lady beetle larva Lady beetle larvae hatching Leafcutter bee collecting nesting material Tiny parasitic wasp Tiny metallic sweat bee Masked bee on lacy phacelia Green lacewings on purple coneflower Masked bee on lacy phacelia Masked bee on lacy phacelia Leafhopper assassin bug on lupine Cuckoo bee on sneezeweed Metallic sweat bee on lupine Masked bee on lacy phacelia Metallic green sweat bee exiting nest Pied hoverfly larva hunting aphids on lupine Native woolcarder bee on zinnia Leafhopper assassin bug on lupine Masked bee on alyssum Native hoverfly perching Green lacewings larva on lobelia Minute pirate bug on Shasta daisy Green lacewings larva on lobelia Cuckoo bee on meadow checkerbloom Cuckoo bee on cosmos Cuckoo bee on meadow checkerbloom Margined calligrapher hoverfly on zinnia Yellow-faced bumble bee on meadow checkerbloom Fuzzy-horned bumble bee on zinnia Yellow-faced bumble bee and metallic sweat bee on lacy phacelia Convergent lady beetle eating aphids Metallic green sweat bee on New England aster Dusky lady beetle larva hunting aphids on fennel Hoverfly larva eating aphids on lupine