Sunflower bee (Ellen Zagory)

I'm excited to announce that we've partnered with Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Xerces Society to bring a class all about pollinators! 

You can sign up for our event at http://ucanr.edu/pollinators/2019 It's being held Thursday, September 5, 2019 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Harvest Hall Rooms D&E at the Stanislaus County Agricultural Center.

Please join us for a fun evening of learning about native pollinators, the plants and habitats they prefer, and the best way to “invite” them to your landscape! Free wildflower seed packets for participants while they last.

We are asking for a voluntary payment of $2 per person to help pay speaker mileage fees.

Resources
Beyond the honey bee: Learn more about California native bees. UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. Taken from https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/beyond-honey-bee-learn-more-about-california-native-bees on August 21, 2019.

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardener Program is planning exciting courses for the public for spring, summer, and fall of 2019! Two classes are happening next month:

• April 11, Growing Herbs for Beginners
• April 29, Planting the Right Tree or Shrub for your Landscape Workshop

Summer & Fall Classes

• Pest Management in and Around the Landscape Class
• Fall Vegetable Gardening Class
• Gardening for Pollinators
• Low-Water Use Landscaping
• Vegetable Gardening for Absolute Beginners
• How to Save Vegetable Seeds

Signing up for Classes and Workshops
You can register for the Growing Herbs for Beginners Class now at  http://ucanr.edu/herbs2019 or call Anne Schellman at (209) 525-6800 to reserve your space. Registration for Planting the Right Tree or Shrub for Your Landscape Workshop will cost $10 and is limited to 25 people. This post will be updated as classes are available for registration online.

Follow us on Facebook or twitter for announcements about class @ucmgstanislaus. You can also visit our Classes and Workshops page for updates. https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Classes/ 

Links to Helpful Pages

Who are the UCCE Master Gardeners? https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/
How do I apply for the Program? https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Become_a_UCCE_MG/

In our previous blog, we posted a Pollinator Quiz. How did you do? Check the answers below to find out. Please post your responses in the comments section, or reply to the post on our Facebook page.

Longhorn bee. (Ellen Zagory, UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden)

Question #1: What is pollination?

Pollination happens when pollen is moved by an insect, animal, or the wind. Pollen moves between the male part of a flower to the female part of either the same flower or another flower of the same species. This is how fertilization takes place and produces fruits and seeds.

Male longhorn bee and red admiral butterfly on Tithonia. (Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Davis Entomology and Nematology)

Question #2: Which of the following are pollinators?

• (European) Honey bees
• Flies
• Wasps
• Butterflies
• Moths
• Hummingbirds
• Dragonflies
• Rats
• Native bees
• Lizards
• Beetles

All the above are pollinators, except for dragonflies, rats, and lizards! You may have been surprised to see flies, wasps, bats, and beetles listed. These pollinators help fertilize plants, although some are more efficient than others. You can support these animals and insects by planting a pollinator garden.

Pipevine swallowtail butterfly larva. (Anne Schellman)

Question #3: What 3 important things do you need to provide in your garden to support pollinators?

When planning a pollinator garden, keep these 3 elements in mind:

Food
Flowers provide nectar (energy) and pollen (protein) for pollinators. However, moth and butterfly larvae (also called caterpillars) often rely on one specific plant for food.

To attract pollinators when planning your garden, purchase at least three of each kind of plant species and plant them in a group. This makes it easier for pollinators to find the plants and to return to your garden.

In fall and late winter, nectar and pollen resources are scarce, so look for plants such as Knifophia ‘Christmas Cheer,' California fuchsia (Epilobium spp.), various species of salvia such as ‘Mexican Sage' (Salvia leucantha) and Gooseberry (Ribes spp.). You can also visit nurseries and garden centers to see what's in bloom during those times.

Western tiger swallowtail. (Ellen Zagory, UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden)

Water
Many pollinators need water for survival. Bird baths and fountains attract hummingbirds and bees and help them stay hydrated. However, make sure your water source isn't too deep, or the pollinators may drown. Add pebbles or stones to shallow dishes and floating corks to deeper containers.

Shelter
Moths and Butterflies
In addition to providing food for moths and butterflies, larval food plants also provide shelter. If you remember the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, these critters eat a lot! Make sure you have enough food, and be prepared to have your plants stripped bare of leaves if you get a lot of caterpillar visitors!

Native Bees
Seventy percent of native bees nest in the ground, so leave bare areas in your landscape for them. The other thirty percent nest in wood or a cavity created by another critter. Create bee boxes by drilling holes ¾ apart of various diameters between ¼ to ⅜ inches. To see native bee photos, visit the UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden page Beyond the Honey Bee. To create habitat for wood nesting bees, visit this Xerces Society page for directions.

Honey Bees
If you want to have your own hive, you can learn all about it and even take classes at UC Davis. Visit the Apiculture Courses page. 

Hummingbird at feeder. (Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Davis Entomology and Nematology)

Online Resources
How to Attract and Maintain Pollinators in Your Garden
California Bee-Friendly Garden Recipes  
Gardening for Pollinators
What You Might Not Know about Hummingbirds
Get to Know Common Local Native Bees

Print Resources
Frankie, G.W. et al. 2014. California Bees and Blooms, a Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists. Berkeley: Heyday books.

Jadallah, C. et al. 2017. Common Bees in California Gardens, UC ANR Publication 3552. (Bee identification cards, spiral bound.) 

Shapiro, A.M., and T. Manolis. 2007. Field Guide to Butterflies of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley Regions. Berkeley: University of California Press. 

You may have heard a lot of “buzz” about pollinators lately. Declining pollinator numbers have caused concern among gardeners in California, prompting them to ask the UCCE Master Gardener program how it can help. But instead of us just telling you about pollinators, let's test your knowledge about them with a fun quiz!

Pollinator garden. (Ellen Zagory, UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden)

Question #1: What is pollination?

Question #2: Which of the following are pollinators?

• (European) Honey bees
• Flies
• Wasps
• Butterflies
• Moths
• Hummingbirds
• Dragonflies
• Rats
• Native bees
• Snakes
• Beetles

Question #3: What 3 important things do you need to provide in your garden to support pollinators?

Write down your answers and then read tomorrow's blog post to see how well you did! Our next post will feature the answers to help you plan a pollinator garden. Also, look for a free class from us this summer or fall on pollinators. Subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook and twitter so you don't miss it!