The Naturalist’s Journal

What's Happening "Fauna-wise" in the Garden

As the Gottlieb Native Garden’s naturalist, Scott Logan documents the ever-changing array of wildlife species as they vary with the garden’s blooms, seasons and migratory patterns. While bringing these observations to life for all to experience, he also coordinates scientific research projects, and monitors the overall health and biodiversity of the garden. The Naturalist’s Journal also highlights the work the Gottliebs and Scott are doing to educate and inspire people to start gardening for wildlife with native plants.

A Lovely Combination of Color

Beautiful moments can be found at anytime in your garden.  While walking the GNG in the early evening recently, we came across this Pyrausta moth alight on a Ceanothus flower.  Pyrausta moths are quite small, but this one stood-out because of its beautiful lavender pink […]

Those Darn Squirrels!!!

Enough said.

Busy House Wrens

This cement birdhouse has been hanging in the GNG for almost 10 years with no takers.  Well, this year the fortress has tenants.  A pair of House Wrens is now busy at work filling the house with sticks to cradle their future family.  It just […]

Firefly in the Gottlieb Native Garden

This male Pterotus obscuripennis, a firefly (fireflies are actually beetles) found in California, does not emit light flashes like its eastern cousin – it is the female of this species who has light organs that can emit a luminescent glow. But she never goes through metamorphosis […]

FOS Hooded Oriole!

This beautiful oriole blessed the GNG today and became the 3rd “First of the Season”  Hooded Oriole in Los Angeles for 2016.  He apparently was thinking about the Gottlieb Garden of Plenty over the winter and couldn’t wait to return! Male Hooded Oriole

Common Raven

A remote camera catches a favorite bird of Susan’s at an interesting moment… Common Raven

Coming for the Water and Berries

If you want Cedar Waxwings and American Robins to visit your yard, there is a magic, drought resistant native evergreen to plant in your yard – Heteromeles arbutifolia, or Toyon. We couldn’t recommend it more…

Yucca Weevil

This large weevil (over 1/2″) gave itself away as it flew around the garden, possibly in search of its host plant Hesperoyucca whipplei, or Chaparral Yucca.  Adults of this weevil species are usually out seeking mates between March and July, but with the unseasonal warm […]

A Yet to be Named Moth

We found and photographed this tiny moth a few months ago while attracting insects to a UV light in the GNG at night.  It was quickly identified as being in the Superfamily Tineidae, or fungus moths.  From there, we got to the Family Tineidae, then […]

Bushtit in Thought

A common and beloved year-round resident of the GNG is the long-tailed tit Psaltriparus minimus, or Bushtit (there are 13 Species of long-tailed tits worldwide, but this is the only species found in the Americas).  These spunky little birds are always on the move and […]