Where are the pollinators

I walked the field east of the South Creek trail which runs Twelve Bridges Drive to Wilson Park today. It appears that maybe the city will not have sheep grazed this field this year - I don't know if that is good or bad but the Round-Tooth Ookow will have a chance to seed. I looked for Yellow Mariposa Lilies today -they bloomed about two weeks ago - and I was able to find only two seed heads. I don't know what pollinates these, but it seems as if they were not very successful. There were also large patches of Bird's'-foot Trefoil on the field - however, I stood in these patches for many minutes and saw very very few pollinators. There were several Western Honey Bees but I saw only one small bumble bee and only one other bee which may be an Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/217780552 and no hover flies. I would think that there would / should be many more and I am quite worried.

I now have three trail cameras out. One on the north bank of Orchard Creek just west of the low water bridge on South Creek Trail, on a small beaver dam pointing into a small opening in the reeds. A second on the south bank of Orchard Creek West of Oak Valley Drive. And I just put out a third today on the north end of the field east of South Creek Trail in some tall grass and reeds pointing at a small game trail I found. This one could be interesting because it is too small for raccoon but appears too large for voles.

Posted on Μάιος 24, 2024 1059 ΠΜ by joerich