- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Scenario: A female praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata, is perched on a daphne.
Pho-tog: "Good morning, Ms. Mantis! How are you today? Hope you're not thinking about catching a bee for breakfast!"
Ms. Mantis: "Oh, no! I would never think of catching a bee! I'm...ahem...allergic to bees. Yes, that's it. I'm ALLERGIC to bees. I'm just...ahem...doing my morning exercises. Gotta stay in shape."
Pho-tog: "Bend and stretch, right? Bend and stretch? No honey bees on the menu?
Ms. Mantis: "Oh, yes, bend and stretch. My morning exercises! No bees on the menu!" (Then she...
By Julie Pramuk, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
At this time of year, you can spot sunflowers growing in many gardens and along roadsides in Napa Valley. Sunflower stems can grow nine feet tall, producing large. stunning flowers.
These cheerful plants have been cultivated in North America for centuries, used for food, medicine, dyes and oil. By 1500, the Spanish conquistadors had exported them to the rest of the world.
Last February, when I was planting sunflower seeds in my small cold frame, my granddaughter asked if she could have some of the seeds to plant. I was delighted and told her that it would be best to start the...
The language of flowers . . . UC Master Gardeners Janice Encinger and Iris Craig have been doing their research! They prepared this for our Valentine's Day newspaper column in the Napa Valley Register, and here it is again, with pictures.
Valentine's Day will soon be here. What do we give our favorite valentine? In American culture, the gifts of choice are often candy (chocolate preferred), cards and flowers. For flowers, of course, a bouquet of red roses symbolizes love.
Since antiquity, flowers have been part of major life events such as births, graduations, weddings, illnesses and death. Throughout...
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
“Honey bee insurance” buzzed into the news Feb. 1 when Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appeared...
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