Who’s in the garden, and who’s not?

by Cornelia Reynolds for The Mendocino Beacon

Katy and I sat on her deck on a recent sunny afternoon in Caspar. A few bumblebees buzzed on nearby grevillea undeterred by strong ocean breezes. “Here’s a Bombus,” said Katy, using bumblebees’ genus name, as one came near. When it flew deliberately between our faces, she greeted it with a bright “hello” as if personally conversant with that particular bee. I did not flinch; although allergic enough to bees to carry an EpiPen, I’ve learned how unlikely bumblebees are to sting.

Emerging citizen scientist Katy Pye is developing a pollinator sanctuary half a mile from the ocean. Her forthcoming workbook, “I Spy! Who’s Using My Garden?” helps gardeners identify pollinators visiting their garden and the plants helping them thrive.

My visit was to talk about insects in our coastal gardens other than the bees Katy carefully monitors. We’ve both been alarmed by recent news of worldwide insect declines. I am particularly interested in butterflies and Diabrotica, the green beetle which has disappeared from my garden. Katy reports both are down in her garden.