Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Wildflower Wednesday: Pollinators Need Our Help



Today I am going to "preach to the choir. " I know that you know that many pollinators, especially honeybees and our native bumblebees, are in sharp decline.  I know you are concerned because so many of you post information on your own blogs on this subject. And if you have stopped by after visiting Gail's Wildflower Wednesday post, you already are concerned about helping the pollinators.  So I'm not going to bore you today with things you might already know, but I might have some encouraging news.

Several weeks ago I attended a panel discussion on  helping the pollinators sponsored by three area organizations and held in the County Extension auditorium.  I signed up to attend as soon as I found out about this forum, not only because of the topic, but because I really wanted to hear two of the speakers.

Echinacea Purpurea is a favorite attraction for all kinds of pollinators in my garden.

This was the first time I've had the chance to attend any kind of talk given by Dr. May Berenbaum, the head of the Entomology Department here at the University of Illinois.  Dr. Berenbaum is somewhat of a local celebrity, having started the Insect Fear Film Festival at the U of I over 30 years ago.  The film festival has received national publicity, and I just noticed the 2015 festival will be held this weekend, so stop in for some fun if you're in the area!  Dr. Berenbaum has also received a host of other more dignified academic awards, including the National Medal of Science, which she received in a White House ceremony in November.

If you read Dr. Berenbaum's history of the Insect Fear Film Festival (and it's worth reading), you can tell she is not some stuffy academician.  She is passionate about insects and sharing that passion with the public.  In the 20 minutes or so allotted to her, she gave the audience a wealth of information about the importance of pollinators, including the fact that they are worth about $20 billion to U.S. agriculture.  I learned that while the majority of pollinators are insects, 1 in 100 are vertebrates like birds, bats, and even a few lizards.

Tiny Syrphid flies, also called hoverflies, are important pollinators, too.

While the numbers of some pollinators like honeybees has declined dramatically all over the world in recent years, the interest in this topic is at an all-time high.  So the good news is that more and more people want to help!  Dr. Berenbaum ended her talk by offering some suggestions for all of us such as diversifying our landscapes, avoiding pesticides, and becoming a Bee Spotter.

Native Beebalm, also know as Monarda or Wild Bergamot

The next speaker was someone I was particularly interested in hearing, too, not because he is any kind of a celebrity, but because he is a friend of my family.  A local beekeeper continuing his family's tradition, Rev. Emil discussed the problems in managing beehives and reported that on his last inspection of his hives, there was only a 17% survival rate.  That is a pretty depressing outlook, and I was a little disappointed that he never explained the cause of losses in the hives in recent years.  Perhaps he doesn't know himself, and perhaps it is due to a combination of factors.  However, he did remark that “I haven’t learned yet how to herd bees—bees go where they want to go.”  That drew some chuckles from the audience, but it also highlighted a serious problem for managed bees as well as bees in the wild--nearby fields and lawns sprayed with pesticides.


A familiar sign to Portland Flingers--from Chickadee Gardens--an important reminder to helping the bees!

A representative from Pheasants Forever was also on the panel.  I have to be honest--I knew nothing about this organization beforehand and always assumed from the name that it was some kind of hunting group.  But quite the opposite is true--it's a group dedicated to conserving pheasants and other wildlife through habitat improvement.

A swath of yellow natives--and a wildflower corridor for bees--at a local prairie restoration area.

The speaker also happened to be a Farm Bill Biologist working in several area counties, and in that role he presented what I thought was one of the most encouraging bits of news of the afternoon.  The 2008 Farm Bill calls for more pollinator habitats and specifically is encouraging farmers to turn land not in production or unproductive land into corridors where bees and other pollinating insects can thrive.  Farmers who sign up to participate can receive wildflower seed and even some financial compensation.  This seems like such a great idea, and I hope it is successful.

The final speaker of the afternoon was our own Extension Horticulture Educator Sandy, who offered suggestions for home gardeners on how to create a pollinator-friendly landscape, including plant recommendations and allowing so-called "weeds" in the lawn like violets and white clover to grow because they are important food sources for many pollinators.

Some non-native plants are food sources for pollinators, too.  They prefer single-petaled flowers, like this cosmos, to double-petaled flowers.

 Most of Sandy's recommendations are well-known to those who garden for wildlife and pollinators, so I won't repeat them all here.  But for anyone in the audience who might not know where to start on creating a garden, she recommended a brochure from the Extension, "Plant a Pollinator Pocket."  The pamphlet includes sample designs for a small garden and makes it easy for anyone to get started--you can even download it from the Extension website here, if you wish.




Don't forget late-blooming plants like asters and goldenrods to provide nourishment in the fall.

Although the plight of many pollinators is still in peril, what was so encouraging about this whole forum was that so many people were interested in the topic. There was a standing-room-only crowd in the Extension Auditorium--more than 150 people on a chilly January afternoon.  And these were not necessarily gardeners:  I spotted some familiar Master Gardener faces and some Master Naturalists, but there were just as many farmers and other interested community members as well.  If each one of these takes some action to create a more pollinator-friendly environment on their own property, and then by their own example encourages others to do the same, think of the impact!  




For more ideas on helping the pollinators and different native plants to grow, check out other Wildflower Wednesday posts at Clay and Limestone.  A big thank-you to Gail for being one of the first to inspire me to create a more pollinator-friendly garden and a very Happy 5th WW Anniversary!

41 comments:

  1. Oh, such a lovely post !!!
    When I see such beautiful flowers I start to dream of spring !
    I love wildflowers and your beautiful photos ! Greetings :)

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    1. Thank you, Ela. Just going through my photo files to find the best pictures of bees really lifted my spirits, too.

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  2. I felt guilty about the bees buzzing round me when I removed a HUGE lavender bush, but they seem happy with the lemon tree. And I've promised them there will be more wild flowers for them.

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    1. I didn't know bees enjoyed lavender, Diana, but I have never had much luck with it here, so that is probably why. I have noticed, though, the bumblebees seem to really enjoy anything purple in my garden.

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  3. Great article Rose. Love your pictures too.

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    1. Thanks, Lisa. What I forgot to add--and you won't be believe it--is that Mr. Procrastinator aka Mr. I-don't-garden went with me!

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  4. You are preaching to the choir; nevertheless, it is a message that bears frequent repetition. So many of our pollinators are in trouble and, to a large degree, we are the reason. It's up to us to try to help where we can.

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    1. Yes, Dorothy, I know people who have stopped here already are helping the pollinators. We need to keep reaching out to others who don't.

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  5. Hi, Rose!
    It's true pollinators are very important for nature, for harvest. Unfortunately a little amount of them stay in our gardens. We have more bumblebees than bees here.

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    1. I don't know much about pollinators in other parts of the world, Nadezda. Bumblebees are natives here, so it's interesting to learn that they are natives in your part of the world, too.

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  6. That sounds like a wonderful day of great information.

    We (really, my husband) kept bees for a while. He started with three hives, but it was a miracle if even one of them made it through a winter. Because the busiest time for bee keepers happens to coincide with really busy times for teachers, after about five years he gave it up until after retirement, when he plans to try again.

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    1. That's really interesting, Cassi. I think it takes dedication to be a beekeeper, and an optimistic spirit. I was surprised how many bees don't make it from one year to the next.

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  7. Ooh, wish I'd been at that symposium. It sounds great. Happy Wildflower Wednesday Rose, and thanks for the information. ~~Dee

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    1. It really was a very informative and interesting forum, Dee. I could have added so much more here, but I didn't want to make this too long.

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  8. The Canadian government has taken steps to limit the use of insecticide unless permits are issued. Our government isn't interested. Not to change the subject but I understand California just voted no to banning plastic bags to save the oceans. Everyone says we need to do something to save our wildlife, insects and sealife, but sadly, no one wants to give up their expanses of sterile green lawns, plastic bags, etc, etc.

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    1. Very true about all of us--"let's change this, but not if it affects me." Plastic bags are one of my pet peeves. I take my own totes to get groceries, but sometimes I don't have enough, so any plastic bags I bring home are usually taken back to be recycled. One day, though, I swear the cashier packed every single item in a different plastic bag:)

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  9. Such a great informational post, Rose, and I wish I could have been at the symposium! I think I'm going to look up Dr. Berenbaum on YouTube to see if I can watch one of her sessions. Thanks for all the great info!

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    1. You would have enjoyed it, Beth. And do check her out on YouTube! I should have mentioned the whole forum was going to be put on YouTube as well, though I haven't found it so far. If I do, I'll leave a link here.

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  10. What a great symposium Rose and lots to think about....and I love that more than gardeners were there. I have reconciled to accepting the white clover and violets in my lawn and look forward to them for the pollinators...and the violets are native! :)

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    1. Donna, that was what was so encouraging to me, too--seeing so many other people there. I know of a couple of farmers who stayed to talk to the biologist about planting some of their acreage in wildflowers.

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  11. A wonderful post, Rose, and beautifully illustrated with your pictures.

    It makes me very happy to see the pollinators in my garden. They can use all of the help that they can get.

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    1. Sweetbay, there was a time when bumblebees flying too close to me scared me, because my brother was stung by one or two when he was little. But now they are my friends--we both go about our business in the garden without disturbing each other:)

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  12. I do miss those extension programs. I can tell that you thoroughly enjoyed this one, Rose. The sound of bees busy about their work is one of the most soothing yet energizing, cheery sounds I know. Can't wait to hear it again this summer!

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    1. There are so many interesting programs available that I can't attend them all. But I'm so glad I attended this one. We are getting a lot more snow again this morning, so I don't think I'll be hearing the sound of bees anytime soon:)

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  13. A very important message and well delivered with gorgeous photos! Friends of mine raise bees and they are very concerned. Whatever we gardeners can do to help is good. I've never been stung by a honeybee, just wasps.

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    1. The decline of honeybees is a global phenomenon, Sarah. It must be very discouraging for beekeepers to lose so many and not know why. I've been stung by a yellow jacket before, which people often mistake for a honeybee. But in the garden I am surrounded by bees who are oblivious to whatever I'm doing.

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  14. You are a great bee spotter Rose with all the bee species in your "bee"autiful photos. Wonderful bee closeups of bees working for them and us! You had some interesting speakers at the festival. I do hope the Farm Bill encourages farmers to plant hedgerows and maintain corridors. That will be a tough one to get them on board since they look at it as productive land lost, but it really is the opposite, bettering the soil and maintaining a healthy ecological and biological mix.

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    1. Thanks, Donna. I've found that bumblebees are quite cooperative with the photographer, but honeybees not so much:) I'm hoping, too, that more farmers participate in this program, though I seriously doubt "big" farmers are going to take good land out of production.

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  15. Hi Rose,
    Your post was very encouraging, hearing about all the people interested in gardening for the pollinators. I enjoyed the photos, too. Thanks for your comment on my WW post. While I have a 13 inch monitor on my new computer instead of 15 inch, like I had before, I am getting used to it, because it is faster than mine. It has a retinal display, and while I am not sure what that means, the images seem nice and sharp. The expense came at a bad time, though, because my husband just found out it will take over $2,000 to fix the frame bottom of his truck, so needs to decide whether to get a loan for a different vehicle or what. He has a motorcycle, so we may see about getting by with one car. I am a para sub, but since I'm watching our granddaughter Tuesday through Friday, I have not taken any of my Mondays to go in so far. I guess I am going to need to now. I bet that was a terrible feeling when you spilled the coffee on the computer.

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    1. Sue, if we lived closer, I would nominate your garden for a field trip for our MG group! So sorry to hear about the computer and now the truck. It seems like whenever one thing goes wrong, several things do. We just had our old dishwasher and clothes dryer repaired--I wanted to replace both of them instead, but the repairman convinced us they would last longer than new ones would. I hope we did the right thing.

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    2. Thanks, Rose! We were on our neighborhood garden tour last year, but have not been on any other. Our yard is probably too small for a city wide tour. It was fun being on the neighborhood one, though.

      Larry thinks the truck will last through most of the summer, and we will have to decide what to get after that. He'd like to lease, but I'm not thrilled with the idea. As for your dishwasher and clothes dryer, I hope they continue to work for you. Yes, they seem to make appliances cheaper and charge more for them than in the past.

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  16. It sounds like a very productive afternoon and the topics are all I'd be interested in myself. I will begin keeping bees starting April 1. I hope it goes well as the success is sometimes out of the beekeepers hands and that can be frustrating. A lot of local beekeepers have lost hives here as well. Mainly if they did not feed or robbed too much honey.

    I applied for a wildlife habitat grant from our state biologists and was MOST disappointed with the whole process. It seemed to me they wanted more of the big farmers to enter their program. Our little 61 acres does not qualify as a big farm because we 'already' maintain it for wildlife. It is mainly forested tho there is a large hill I wanted help with to prevent runoff into the feeder stream below it and also because it needed developing after the previous owner bulldozed most of the trees several years ago. The two biologists advised me and told me I could apply and get a grant for some help with wildflower seed. The amount of rules and having them in my business just for a few hundred dollars did not sit well with me so I selected to purchase wildflower seed on my own, but they did give me a great source for natives that I used. The only thing is that buying wildflower seed is pretty easy for the ordinary person like me. Actually planting it properly and preparing the area properly is what I needed help with. That included drill seeding and burning the area prior to seeding. This is not an easy thing for a single small landowner to do on his or her own and the state could not help with those two things. It seems that in Tennessee prescribed burns are mainly done by large landowners and government corporations that have the assets to do so. Fort Campbell, Land Between the Lakes, and some other areas are burned by those entities but farmers don't generally do it here. They use chemicals. The Coop is busy all the time spreading those chemicals. If you don't burn then pesticides are the back up. This is not a route I chose to go. Fortunately our habitat has taken hold and we have a wide range of pollinators and wildlife like quail, turkeys, and deer. I was specifically trying for these three but mainly the birds. The forbs did come in with our proper management (on our own) and we hope this year will show some results of all the wildflowers I planted. It usually takes a few years. I am applying gardening principles and utilizing proper mechanical maintenance to manage the area. I am hoping the bees will be happy. Whew, long comment. Maybe my experience with these programs was not typical but from what I hear everyone that gets grants and help are large farmers, I'm talking several hundred acres and farmers who farm agricultural crops. We did not qualify even tho our state does consider beekeeping an agricultural crop and there are federal programs for habitat restoration and conservation, they don't really work with it as much as the tobacco, cow, soybean, and corn farmers. Those are the target markets and the ones I think that need help the least because the smaller farmers are the ones who struggle more and more keenly can be affected by bad outcomes, but I may be wrong. I hope that changes as more become aware of environmental conditions but I think big farming is too engrained in people to change all that much. Anyhow, it is great to attend these conferences and learn from the experts in the field.

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    1. I am not surprised at your experience, Tina. Most of the farmers I recognized at the meeting grow agricultural crops and farm at least a few hundred acres, which is a small farm these days, unfortunately. I think the government programs do target these and bigger farms. I didn't catch all the details of the program, but I thought it did provide help with sowing the seed, which would be a major help. I know any kind of government subsidies to farmers is a touchy subject, and I didn't want to get into politics here. But I remember my dad signing up for "government acres," as he called it years ago. He wasn't happy about it and would rather have planted crops in those acres, but he didn't have much choice. I do remember when he took those acres out of production, he would often plant clover, and a couple of years the father of the beekeeper I mentioned here would bring over his hives so the bees could feast on the clover. My dad practiced a lot of conservation methods; he was ahead of his time. Back to your comment, I think you were wise to decide to plant wildflowers on your own. Anytime the government is involved, things just get too complicated. Good luck with your bees!

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  17. That is encouraging news about the Farm Bill. It seems Congress has become so dysfunctional you have to be surprised any time they do something positive. I actually had not thought about the fact that the value of our refraining from the use of pesticides depends on our neighbors doing the same. It's going to take some pesticide prohibitions to really improve the situation and that will meet resistance. Still, as you say, it's a very good sign that this event was so well attended. Too bad I'm not in the area, and will have to miss the Film Festival!

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    1. I agree, Jason; I was surprised to hear that this was part of the Farm Bill, too, and even more surprised that they're actually putting it into action. I have never actually attended the Insect Fear Festival--not exactly my favorite genre, but it sounds like it could be fun.

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  18. It is encouraging that so many people took interest in the forum topics. The beekeeper's 17% survival rate was a bit shocking I have to say. It must be hard not to get discouraged. I must say I wonder if there are not more factors in play as well as pesticides. I was so busy reading along that I had to make a point of going back to admire the photographs. Your bee shots are just terrific Rose!

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    1. Jennifer, I'm sure there is more than just pesticides at play here; the hard winters also contribute. I know I'd probably give up after such dismal results. Thanks for the compliment--I had fun on these cold, snowy days going through photos of colorful blooms to find some bees!

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  19. Thanks for lots of useful information Rose, lots to think about. Over here in Britain this is an important topic on the agenda too and we gardeners are often reminded to plant for wildlife. From what I know, the bees are doing better the last couple of years, and it has certainly looked that way in my garden. The butterflies however have been scarce lately but we have been assured that this is normal variation and that they will increase in numbers again.

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    1. Helene, I gathered from Dr. Berenbaum's talk that the UK has been a leader in identifying and researching the problems of the honeybees. Good to hear that there is some improvement! Yes, I've been worried about the butterflies, too, but it does seem their numbers go in cycles. We had such a hard winter last year that I'm sure that must have impacted them somewhat.

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  20. Rose girl this was a wonderful post ! .. So many people "walk" through life with no conception about how we are able to "feed" ourselves and how deeply connected we are to beneficial insects. I fell into it rather naturally because it just seemed the right way to go ... I am so happy to be a non chemical gardener and know the insects are safe and well fed as are the birds.
    It can be as simple as one garden at a time that might just make that difference .. otherwise it is too overwhelming to think about.
    So I try my best as do so many other gardeners such as yourself and Gail letting us know what to do !
    Thanks girl !
    Joy : )
    We are in a hot spell ... -7 this morning !!! LOL

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  21. Joy, I feel the same way. I didn't think much about bees and really didn't like insects that much before I started gardening. I think gardening makes us realize how connected all the creatures on this earth are. I have come to appreciate the sound of buzzing bees around me as much as the songs of the birds. I agree--global solutions seem too staggering to think about, but each of us can make our own little piece of earth as wildlife friendly as possible. It's getting warmer here today, but everything is covered in ice--yuck!

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