Quizzes

You got it! The small cones on the left belong to Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), which is our Washington’s State Tree. Western Hemlock is very shade tolerant. It will thrive in the understory of our forests for years until it outgrows other trees and becomes the dominant climax tree. The unique cone on the right belongs to Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The tiny 3-pointed bracts which are longer than the scales, are actually modified leaves. The name “Pseudotsuga” means false hemlock, named so because Douglas Fir wood is resinous while the wood of a true hemlock is not.

YES! – this is Aruncus dioicus, commonly known as Goatsbeard. These bushy shrubs grow 3-5 feet tall and have feathery clusters of creamy white flowers that hummingbirds and pollinators love. Bohemian Knotweed (Polygonum x. bohemicum), on the left, is introduced from Asia, and is a Class A noxious weed in Whatcom County. The goal of the Noxious Weed Board is to eradicate this aggressive spreader from our state.

You got it! Our State Flower is the beautiful Pacific or Coast Rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum). In a shady spot, they can grow more treelike, reaching 24 feet in height, while in the sun they tend to stay more compact. Showy clusters of pink to white bell-shaped flowers appear in April – May. Be careful, though. The plant contains grayanotoxins which are poisonous, if ingested. Western Azalea (Rhododendron occidentale) is on the left. Both shrubs are native to the northwest and both are in the Rhododendron family.

You’re right! This is our native Rubus ursinus, also called “trailing blackberry”, found from British Columbia to Northern California. It is differentiated from the non-native, invasive Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), on the right, in several ways. The leaves usually have three leaflets, are deeply serrated, and have pointed tips, while Himalayan blackberry leaves tend to be more rounded, and have up to 5 leaflets. The stems of the native blackberry are thin and prickly and “trail” along the ground, unlike the tall, arching, thick, canes with large thorns of the Himalayan Blackberry. Both have delicious edible berries, but many say the native berry is sweeter.

You’re right! The white to cream-colored flowers on the left belong to the perennial Death Camas (Zigadenus venenosus). All parts of the plant contain poisonous alkaloids. Ingesting just two of the bulbs can be lethal. It can be found growing in meadows throughout the Northwest, often alongside it’s relative, the purple Common Camas (Cammassia quamash), shown on the right. The bulbs of Common Camas were a very important food source for native Americans in the northwestern United States and southern Canada, and were often propogated on guarded plots of land. Interesting fact: there is a particular miner bee (Andrena astragali), that is immune to the poison of the Death Camas, and has developed an exclusive codependent relationship with the flower, each dependent on the other.

Yes! Sweat bees are much smaller than honeybees or bumble bees. You can tell how small this one is in comparison to the strawberry flower it is on. Sweat bees are a type of solitary bee: each female works alone to make bee bread and reproduce. They nest in open ground.

Yes! Bumble bees are some of our biggest bees and often quite fuzzy. They are social, generally forming small groups of 40 to 70 individuals led by a queen bee. For nesting, they like to use ground cavities, like former mouse holes, around big roots and rocks. Leaving your garden "messy" with wood and rock piles helps them.

Yes! This honeybee is on on flower duty, for nectar and pollen. Others of her sisters will be collecting water for the hive. Everyone has an important role.

Yes! Flower flies are important pollinators as they visit lots of flowers while feeding on pollen and nectar. Flies are distinguished from bees by their much shorter antennae, larger compound eyes, and a single set of wings.

Yes! Leafcutter bees are also called fuzzy belly bees. They collect pollen not on their legs but on their bellies. You can really see the pollen here. They cut and carry leaves to use (instead of mud) to seal up each of their egg and bee bread chambers.

Yes! This is a nice view of the European paper wasp feeding on native golden rod. These pollinators form small paper nests of cells that hang down, often found under eaves. They are eusocial, in that unrelated adults watch over the developing larvae.

Yes! Mason bees emerge from their cocoons as soon as the days regularly reach 50 degrees F. Plant early spring bloomers for mason bees: Oregon grape, rock cress, crocus, snowdrops, fruit trees. By June they have provisioned and laid their eggs. They are done.

Yes! Carder bees are easily identified by their behavior. Extremely territorial, they "stake out" patches of flowers (here, germander) and zip around to sip quickly on nectar or "bump" out of the way any honeybee or male carder bee competitor.