Dill Delights Bee

So happy to see the garden dill plant has provided this bee a place to gather pollen and nectar.

Bees in the Penstemon

Enjoying an afternoon collecting pollen from the penstemon in my garden is a hum of bees! The bell shape of the penstemon completely enrobes the bee once it enters.  After gathering nectar and pollen, the bee backs up and then hangs in the air for a split second.  Finally, off to the next flower.

Sunflower

I love sunflowers.  While celebrating Independence Day, we visited a local hotel with a kitchen garden (more on that later).  There were plenty of sunfowers.  I loved the closer look at this one revealing a bee busy at work.

I've Been...

Busy as a Bee...

Sun Shining on the Gossamer Wings of a Bee

Coming Soon: Herbs--Top Five to Grow for Your Cooking Needs

Busy Bee! You Bet

This was one busy honey bee. While watching it work, I would land on the flower, collect its bounty, reposition and start all over again.

The Great Sunflower Project for Bees

As a barefoot girl growing up in Ohio in the 1960s, I had more than my fair shares of painful encounters with bees. In a Pavlovian way, I saw the stimulus (BEE) and had a definite response (FLEE).

So why now, am I searching for bee friendly flowers and plants which will actually encourage bees to come to my garden? Well, with shoes on my feet, I know that bees are an important partner in my garden playing the role of chief pollinator. As they search for pollen for the needs of their bee society, they effectively and efficiently pollinate crops and plants providing food for man and beast. Bees are the primary pollinators of seed and fruit. True, my little plot of land is small but can be a friendly oasis to bees and other pollinators since I eschew pesticides and try to maintain an organic garden.

With this in mind, I'm ready to participate in the Great Sunflower Project. Run by San Francisco State University Associate Professor Gretchen LeBuhn, this project is requesting citizen scientists coast-to-coast participate in a bee pollination study. With the recent focus on colony collapse disorder, this data will provide the scientists with data needed to help restore bees.

As a volunteer “citizen scientist,” in this project, you participate by

1. Sign up and plant your sunflower (seeds provided when you register)
2. Describe your garden
3. Time how long it takes 5 bees to visit your sunflower plant
4. Enter your data online or send your form.

We all remember the headlines from last year warning us of the disappearing bees. I’m hoping my participation helps.

Reference

Happy to Bee in the Garden

Look who was busy in the garden besides me! This little fellow was buzzing around to collect his pollen. The gladiolas are beautiful. Only wish there were more stalks.