March 13, 2020 -Anza Borrego Springs

Today brittlebush was a hub of pollinators, attracting bees, beetles, bugs, and beyond. Despite seeing a mass number of bees in the area, I only spotted one on the Beavertail flowers, which I found quite surprising! Otherwise, the beavertail flowers were teeming with life. The cup shape flower seems an ideal location for smaller beetles and bugs to hang out an I found that the partially closed flowers had the most insect activity. This could be because the closed flower offers more protection, but also could be that they’re harder to get out of.
The most common critter I saw was the ornate checkered beetle, on nearly every brittlebush and beaver tail I saw. Their bright yellow and red coloring and distinctive patterns make them hard to miss. Checkered beetles are omnivorous, consuming both nectar and other insects so I can easily see how these two plants would be ideal locations for them.
I kept my eyes peeled all day, but spotted no pink fairy dusters. Maybe on the next hike.

Posted on March 20, 2020 09:17 PM by oliviabarr