Most of us have no idea that there are millions of eyes watching
us.
There was an estimate in Scotland that 3 billion insects fly over your
head during a summer month. In most of the United States, it's probably
closer to 6 billion. There is an intricate system of parasites, prey
and predators working dawn to dusk. Most of the insects live
short, very active lives.
Twenty or thirty perennial plants in a very small garden may have
thousands of small little critters buzzing around trying to get through
their life without being eaten. If we'd stop thinking that we are
important and look around we'd see real life and death playing out in
front of us.
Get off your rear and go out in the garden dear.
Plant a couple of small shrubby manzanitas, like Sentinel or Margarita
Joy, a couple of Buckwheats, like Cliff Buckwheat and Santa Cruz Island
Buckwheat, if you have the room, California buckwheat, a Ceanothus or
two, Ceanothus Remote Blue or Snowball, a few Monardellas, a few
California fuchsias, one Narrowleaf Milkweed and maybe one Ribes.
Shazam! You have an active native garden for birds and insects, and YOU
created life.
Phoretic mites traveling on a Eleodes , "darkling" or "pinacate " beetle. They are just hitching a ride and do not appear to harm the beetle.