Monday in Nature, May 7, 2018

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I have been trying unsuccessfully to identify this plant. It grows in the rows of almond orchards here in California and is treated like a weed. It seems to be important to the local honeybees though as it flowers early and continuously for many months. The blossoms are about 10mm across. Having no luck with online resources.

I have been trying unsuccessfully to identify this plant. It grows in the rows of almond orchards here in California and is treated like a weed. It seems to be important to the local honeybees though as it flowers early and continuously for many months. The blossoms are about 10mm across. Having no luck with online resources.

Sorry I can't help you with the flower identification. I know you have already tried but I still hope maybe one of these plant-ID apps can help (link).

I have great empathy for the plight of bees and other beneficial insects. I am trying to keep the early-blooming dandelions and clover as long as I can and trying not to clean up the flower beds too much as the debris is lifeline to countless insects. Buzzing bees and graceful butterflies make a happy scene.

Here is a Geoffroy's Rousette fruit bat resting peacefully amongst its fidgety upaide-down kin in one of the caves at the Monfort Bat Sanctuary in the Philippines.

Olympus E-M1 Mark II with Leica DG 100-400mm lens @400mm (eff 801mm). 1/400s; f/6.3; ISO 8000; flash fired.

Allen's hummingbird at the University of California Santa Cruz Arboretum

That arboretum specializes in plants from the southern hemisphere, Australia, southern Africa, and South America. It is supposed to be one of the best places to view such plants in the northern hemisphere. According to a sign posted there, the flower the hummingbird is standing on is Erica annectens, from South Africa.

Sea Lions

We're still experiencing a frog shortage but things are looking a little better this year than the last couple. Went to the aptly named part of Middlebury known as "Frog Hollow" and said hi to one of the residents there. I invited it down to our place but it just said "Gronk" and hopped off.

lynx