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    Lyn Chimera is a Master Gardener, consultant and lecturer.

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February 27th, 2022

2/27/2022

 
Picture
The Amazing Bumblebee
By Lyn Chimera

Recently I was asked to compile some interesting information about bumblebees, in the genus Bombus, for an informational flyer Master Gardeners could use as a handout at various events like Plantasia (March, 16-20). They are such fascinating little critters I wanted to share some of what I learned.

First of all, Bumblebees are large (about an inch) yellow and black flying insects native to the US. They have 4 wings. The two rear wings are smaller than the front wings and the wings beat at a rate of 130-240 beats per second. There are about 46 varieties of bumblebees in N America and over 250 known varieties worldwide. 

Bumblebees are our only native bee that lives in colonies. They prefer to live in cavities like dead trees and abandoned nests. Their favorite nesting site, however, is an abandoned rodent tunnel because it’s warm and already lined with fur. Sounds cozy to me. Their colonies range in number from 50 to 500.

Bumblebees only live for one year. In the fall new queens are hatched and spend the winter in a protected area then start new colonies in the spring. Because the bumblebees don’t overwinter, they don’t need to store food. The nectar and pollen they gather goes to feed themselves and their young.

As pollinators go bumblers are much more efficient than honeybees. This is due in part to their hairy bodies which spread the pollen more effectively. They also “buzz pollinate” which means they vibrate their bodies as they come in contact with a flower to cause even more pollen distribution. One of the most interesting facts about their pollination is they leave a scent marking on each flower they pollinate. This alerts other bumblers that the flower had been pollinated so go on to another. How efficient!

The reason they are so favored by agriculture and nature is that they are generalists rather than specialists. Bumblers will gather from a variety of species at the same time. In addition, due to their built in “fur coat” they can fly and pollinate earlier in the spring and later in the fall than many other pollinating insects. They also have an amazing tongue that is often longer than a honeybee’s so they can get nectar from a wider variety of flowers. By the way their tongue is also their sense organ for taste and smell.

Worker bumblebees have the job of gathering nectar for carbohydrates and pollen for protein. They are real workhorses flying a mile or further to gather food. The average worker carries 25% of their body weight in pollen and nectar. Some have been measured to carry 75% of their body weight. That would be like a 150 pound person carrying 37.5 lbs. or up to 122 lbs.! Now that’s impressive.

I must admit I love watching bumblebees in my garden. They won’t sting unless threatened so are safe to watch form close up. Often you will find one in the early morning sleeping on a flower. Honeybees will do this as well. In my garden native turtle head (Chelone obliqua) is one of their favorite flowers. Because of the shape of the flower the bumbler has to wiggle its way into the petals to get to the pollen and nectar. Always entertaining to watch.

What can you do to help protect bumblebees and basically all pollinators? Plant a variety of native and pollinator attracting flowers covering a span of seasons and encourage neighbors to do the same. Destruction of habitat is one of the contributing factors in the demise of bumblebees. Avoid using pesticides particularly the systematic ones that persist throughout the plant. These toxins effect the whole plant including the pollen and nectar and kill all insects including pollinators. Not using pesticides and herbicides is one of the best ways any home gardener can help the ecology.

Never harm a bumblebee; they are our friends.

​​

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February 2022 Tips

2/3/2022

 
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Dear Gardening Friends,

 
Looks like winter has taken hold for now. The consistent snow cover while you may not enjoy shoveling it does provide a wonderful insulating factor for your plats. For those of you longing for spring there are some great gardening events coming up. Details are at the end of this newsletter.
 
Garden Chores:
  • If you collected pine boughs for winter plant protection and there’s too much snow to put them out, just save them in the garage or a pile and put them out when the snow melts.
  • If you are having ice build-up in driveways and sidewalks, be cautious of what you use to melt the ice. Salt can be very damaging to the soil, plants, and the environment in general.
  • It would be wise to shovel the black nasty salt laden “gunk” in the driveway somewhere other than garden beds. My back garden abuts the driveway, so this is always an issue for me. I used to wonder why the plants along the drive never did well! It’s a little more effort, but worth it.
  • We’ve had a lot of wind lately so it’s a good time to pick up sticks and debris.
  • If you didn’t clean and sharpen your tools last fall now is a perfect time. They will be ready to go when you need them in the spring.
 
Pruning:
  • This is a good time to prune. First check for wind damaged branches. It’s best to remove torn branches. A nice clean pruning cut is much easier for the tree/shrub to heal in the spring.
  • The ideal time to prune non spring blooming trees & shrubs is while they are still dormant, and their buds have not begun opening. Anything that blooms in the spring should be pruned AFTER they bloom.
  • Usually, spring pruning can be done well into March. Once the buds start to open it’s past the ideal time. Some years that was May! It all depends on the weather.
  • The basic pruning rule is don’t leave stubs. Make clean cuts close to a bud, branch divide or outside the branch collar on the trunk.
  • For details on pruning specific plants check online at an “.edu” site or contact me for a pruning consultation.
 
Houseplants:
  • Now is a good time to spend some time with your houseplants. A mid- winter “shower” in the sink or bathtub will wash off the accumulated dust and make for a healthier plant. If a plant is too large to move, you can use a damp cloth or soft sponge to wipe down the leaves.
  • Now that the days are getting longer you can resume a light plant food application. If you use fertilizer look for a natural rather than chemical formula. Just read the ingredients and follow the directions. I tend to use half strength.
  • You can also start spring repotting houseplants that have become pot bound. If the water drains right through when you water it or if the roots are pushing the plant out of the pot, those are good signs that the plant is pot bound.
  • Another sign to indicate repotting is crusty salt build up on the top of the soil. This residue may be on the outside of terra cotta pots as well. The pots can be scrubbed off before repotting. If the soil crust isn’t severe the top few inches of crusted soil and be removed and replaced with fresh potting soil.
  • Also check for aphids, mealybugs and other houseplant pests. Feeling a sticky residue around a plant is a good sign there is an insect problem. A good soapy water bath is a solution to many problems.
 
 
Annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale:
 
The Soil & Water Conservation annual seedling sale is available for ordering now. This is a great way to get inexpensive tree and shrub seedings. The sale runs through May 13th with pickup mid April-May. Order early as some things sell out. Go to their website for order forms and compete information on what’s available and how to plant seedlings.
 
https://www.ecswcd.org/html/treeshrub.html
 
Educational Opportunities: There are lots of events coming up that will help you learn and get into the mood for spring.
 
 
 
 
Annual Spring Bloom Classes:
 
Saturday, February 12, 9:00-11:45 - Backyard Gardening, Food and Flowers. Two sessions to be held on Zoom.
 
Saturday, February 26, 9:00-11:45 - Pollinators and the Plants They Love – Two sessions to be held on Zoom.
 
Cost will be $20/day. For details go to http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/events
 

 
MG Education Day:
 
MGED is Saturday March 12, 2022 at Classics V Banquet Center on Niagara Falls Blvd.. At this point we are planning an in person day but that may have to change to Zoom depending on the Covid situation. Right now, there is no way to definitively plan for that.
 
Those of you who have attended in the past know what a fun and educational day this is. The day includes a fabulous basket raffle, AM snack break and a hot buffet lunch. It’s a wonderful day with likeminded gardeners. There are 2 outstanding presenters:
 
Joseph Tychonievich, rated one of the best gardening speakers in the country and noted author will make two presentations:
            Rock Gardening, Reimagining a Classic Style for Today’s Garden
            Great, Non-Wimpy Plants that You Don’t Already Grow
 
Joseph Han, owner of The English Gardener Landscaping Company will present on:
            Floriferous Design
 
Registration will begin Febuary 1st.  For details go to http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/events Trust me, you won’t want to miss this amazing and fun day.
           
 
Presentations on Gardening Topics:
 
There is a full listing of the presentations I do for Garden Clubs and other groups interested in gardening topics on my website: lessonsfromnature.biz, or let me know and I will send you a copy.
           
 
Garden Consultations:
 
If you want to tackle that pruning project but just not sure how to go about it, call me for a consultation.
 

           
Happy Gardening!
Lyn Chimera
Lessons from Nature
170 Pine St.
E. Aurora, NY 14052
lyn@lessonsfromnature.biz
652-2432
 
 
 
 
 

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