Reply #2: I saw MILLIONS of native and non-native pollinators last weekend

[kestrel91316]

on my hike in the Santa Monica Mountains (where I sunburned/blistered the part in my hair and now it's peeling -- but I digress). Hummingbirds galore.........lots and lots of butterflies (mostly this medium-sized black with yellow spots guy but also a white with orange wingtips and a bright yellow guy and a teeny weeny lavender guy, and of course a monarch or viceroy)........and in addition to the BILLIONS of honeybees (apparently all our feral bees here are now africanized, but they are not a problem when feeding) there were TNTC bumblebees and hoverfly thingies and tiny little waspies, and it was just the most amazing whirlwind of activity.

Near the patches of wild mustard the buzz was almost deafening (and we have LOTS of wild mustard). A swarm of bees, heading off to new digs, passed right over my head (swarming bees are full of honey and very passive so no problema).

And apparently the reptiles are doing pretty well, too. The lizards (western fence lizard and alligator lizard) are just THICK - you can't step anywhere without almost stepping on one. Then a California Black Racer (snake) chased a lizard out of the brush right in front of me on a fire road, and narrowly missed getting him...........but that has nothing to do with pollinators, lol.