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.
Diverse Collection of Native Pollinators
Flower pollinators come in many shapes and sizes, including small flies. Hoverflies can be found busily doing an important job in the GNG, not only cross pollinating many native plants, but also keeping plant-damaging insects under control. The larvae of Allograpta obliqua are predators that feed […]
Bird activity Down – Butterfly activity Up
As passerines activity goes, we have now moved into the summer doldrums. But on any warm to hot day for the next few months, the GNG is likely to have much interesting Lepidoptera visiting its native plants and flowers.
Mexican Cactus Fly
The GNG had a very interesting visitor today, a Mexican Cactus Fly. This is the largest flower fly in Southern California (with a body length of ¾”) and ranges from the Southern U.S. down to Central America. The fly itself resembles one of our larger carpenter […]
Bath Time!!
It seems that these Allen’s Hummingbirds are able to tolerate each other as they partake in their morning bath!
Jeweled Araneus
As spring turns into summer, Jeweled Araneus orb spiders become fairly common and can now be found throughout the GNG. Females of this species get quite large, measuring about ¾”, and are able to build orb webs measuring over 7 feet in diameter! Jeweled Araneus […]
A Brown Widow Invasion
An alien arachnid has taken hold in the GNG – the cosmopolitan Brown Widow Spider. Although there is some debate about where it originated, most believe it came from South Africa. The first documentation of this spider in California occurred in 2003 and since then, […]
Juvenile and Adult American Robin
American Robins breed throughout the Santa Monica Mountains and from this video evidence, they bred this season in or near the GNG!
Neon Skimmers Locked in an Embrace
Dragonflies have been around for a very long time – approximately 300 million years! As they evolved, this copulatory position emerged to accommodate the placement of their sexual organs. Looks as though the GNG pond will be expecting Neon Skimmer nymphs very soon! Mating Neon Skimmer […]
Aphid Management
In the GNG, just like many other Los Angeles gardens, aphids can be quite the pest to a number of plant species. And although they are hard to combat organically, nature will sometimes lend a helping hand. Bushtit having an aphid meal. Adult ladybug […]
A Great Horned Owl’s Breakfast
This Great Horned Owl must have been active at first light to catch a California Ground Squirrel. Although Great Horned Owls will hunt into dawn, they are normally nocturnal hunters, so a diurnal ground squirrel is not usually on the menu. Unfortunately for the squirrel, that […]