Field Notes: California Pipevine (Patreon)

Our upcoming episode features a “love triangle” between the California pipevine plant, its resident butterflies and the fungus gnats that pollinate it. In late March and early April, producer Gabriela Quirós and cinematographer Josh Cassidy traveled to Pinole, California, to film California pipevine flowers and fungus gnats in the backyard of husband-and-wife entomologists Cheryl Barr and Bill Shepard. They’re both affiliated with the Essig Museum of Entomology, at UC Berkeley, and collect aquatic insects together all around the world.

While Josh filmed some pipevine flowers close to the ground, Gabriela climbed up on a bench – with Bill and Cheryl’s permission! – to look for gnats inside flowers hanging from their arbor. Cheryl planted this California pipevine – she loves native plants – and Bill recently co-authored a paper about the fungus gnats and other insects that end up inside their flowers.

Credit: Josh Cassidy/KQED

Can you see the silhouette of a fungus gnat inside this California pipevine flower? The plant is also referred to as the California Dutchman’s pipe because it’s shaped like a tobacco pipe. The shape helps it trap fungus gnats inside.

Credit: Bill Shepard/Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley

Using a monitor, Gabriela took a peek at Josh’s footage as he filmed the inside of a California pipevine flower, secured in place with a pair of tweezers. The white box reduces the impact of the wind while letting in the light.

Credit: Josh Cassidy/KQED

And here’s that fungus gnat after it explored the inside of a California pipevine flower. It emerged with pollen grains stuck to the hairs on its back.

Credit: Josh Cassidy/KQED

California pipevine swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves and stems of the pipevine plant. Their caterpillars feed exclusively on the plant’s leaves and can handle their potent toxins. But the butterflies don’t pollinate the pipevine’s flowers. They leave that hard work all to the gnats!

You’ll learn more about California pipevine plants, fungus gnats and the California pipevine swallowtail butterfly when this episode premieres next Tuesday, May 18, but Patreon supporters will get a sneak peek this Friday!

Top Photo Credit: Cheryl Barr/Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley