Quote of the Day: L.M. Montgomery
“If I wasn’t a human girl I think I’d like to be a bee and live among the flowers.”
Anne of Green Gables, L. M. Montgomery, 1908
I thought about this quote yesterday as I worked out in the gardens. I think if I were an insect I would choose to be a bee, flitting around the gardens all day gathering pollen and nectar.
What about you, what kind of insect would you choose to be?
Filed under Bees, Beneficial, Insects, Quote | Comments (11)Stretching their Wings
It’s been raining a lot here lately and our poor bees get a little restless when they can’t leave the hive. When we have a warm sunny day we see them all over the gardens. It’s kind of funny because we usually don’t see our bees in the garden, I see a lot of solitary bees, and on occasion a honey bee. But now that it’s getting colder I’ve seen a lot of our bees in the gardens.
I especially see them around water sources getting drinks. They love Lucy’s bowl in the front lawn. I put some leaves in it so they don’t drown.
If you don’t have water sources for beneficial insects, consider added a small basin filled with sand or straw to you garden. Make sure you replace the water frequently so as not to breed mosquitos. You’ll be rewarded with lots of beneficials flitting around your gardens.
Have you noticed more bees as fall is coming or fewer?
Filed under Bees, Beneficial, Insects, beekeeping | Comments (6)Free Pollinator Plant Guide
While reading through my current Organic Gardening magazine I came across a small article about pollinators. The Pollinator Partnership is offering a free guide: Selecting Plants for Pollinators.
If you’re interesting in downloading this free guide, just type in your zip code when you follow this link and they’ll give you the guide that’s specific for your region. I happen to be in the Eastern Broadleaf Forest Oceanic Province and NAPPC Including the states of Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island and parts of: Delaware, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
Pollinators also include butterflies and hummingbirds, along with beetles, flies and bats. Who wouldn’t want to attract more of these to their gardens?
I downloaded the guide yesterday and have been looking through it. I’m always looking for new plants to introduce to my gardens that will be beneficial for pollinators and other insects.
I love that this buide includes a chart of flowers and their bloom time so you can stagger the blooms so that somethings always providing pollen and nectar for the beneficial birds and insects in your gardens.
Have you incorporated any new plants this year specifically for pollinators?
Filed under Bees, Beneficial, Insects | Comments (7)Big Big Wolf Spider
While moving everything out of the basement for our big project, our friend Shaun was startled by a HUGE wolf spider on the wall of our bilco. It happened to be right by his face when we have making a trip back down into the basement. As you can see, she was a pretty big spider, she was carrying her egg sac with her (that’s how we know she’s a she).
They collected her in a pint jar and saved her for me to see when I got home. This is a big spider for here in NE Ohio, but since I grew up in South America with tarantulas she really doesn’t seem all that big. We let her go in the in the woods, where she’ll be right at home. I don’t mind seeing spiders around the gardens, I know they’re beneficial insects. If I see them in the house and they’re little jumping spiders they get to stay. If they’re big wolf spiders like her I usually catch them and put them outside.
What about you, do spiders freak you out or do you not mind them?
Filed under Beneficial, Insects | Comments (13)Sleeping Bees
Yesterday afternoon we had a thunderstorm roll through. I was out on the porch watching the rain when I noticed this little guy (or gal) sleeping on my hanging basket. I suppose since he can’t be out flying around he figured a catnap would be nice.
He slept here through the entire rain storm and a few minutes after it ended he took off to go about his business gathering nectar & pollen.
Have you ever noticed sleeping bees in your gardens?
Filed under Bees, Beneficial, Insects | Comments (9)
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