It's good to see so much interest in native bees and native plants.

At the UC Davis Department of Entomology, we're frequently contacted by folks throughout the country asking what to plant to attract pollinators--native bees, honey bees (honey bees not native; European colonists brought them over here in 1622), and other pollinators.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has a wonderful list of native plants on its website. You click on your region and you'll be directed to a list.

If you poke around the Xerces Society website, you can find information on why native bee habitats are important and how to create native bee habitats. Also check out the pollinator handbook and the fact sheets.

Plant lists are available to download below in PDF format.

Plants for Native Bees in North America

Plants for Native Bees in the Pacific Northwest

Plants for Native Bees in California

Plants for Native Bees in the Upper Midwest

California Central Coast Pollinator Plant List

California Central Valley Pollinator Plant List

Northern California Sierra Foothill Pollinator Plant List

Southern California Pollinator Plants Coast and Foothill Regions

Pollinator Plants for California Almond Orchards

Other good sources of information include native plant societies; the Cal Flora site; and the Urban Bee Gardens project on the UC Berkeley site.

Hmm, ever wonder why honey bees love salvia?

Are they going for that nectar or are they going for something else?

Salvia divinorum, which like all the salvias, is a member of the mint family, is gaining notoriety for its hallucinogenic effects. Videos on smoking salvia and the resulting psychedelic experiences materialize periodically on YouTube.

Now in research published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, scientists think that an active ingredient in salvia--salvinorin A--may be a potential treatment for "an array of neurological disorders, including addiction," according to an article posted today on the Good Morning America ABC site.

The headline teased "Salvia Studies Hold Promise for Addiction." The subhead: "Hallucinogen Salvia is Safe, Could Open Door to New Class of Drugs for Pain Therapies."

The researchers, led by psychologist Matthew W. Johnson, speculate that salvinorin A "could open the door to a whole new class of drugs that have powerful analgesic properties."

Salvia is a member of the mint family.

Are bees are in "mint condition?"

Is "salvia" the new buzzword?

Look for more research on salvinorin A.

President Obama just pardoned a couple of turkeys--Apple and Cider. They won't make it to the White House Thanksgiving dinner today.

But what he could have done--when he was pardoning the turkeys--was to praise the honey bees.

Without honey bees,  Thanksgiving Day dinner--as we know it--would not exist.

It's time to "bee" thankful.

If your table includes pumpkin, cranberries, carrots, cucumbers, onions, apples, oranges, cherries, blueberries, grapefruit, persimmons, pomegranates, pears, sunflower seeds, and almonds, thank the bees for their pollination services.

Spices? Thank the bees, too. Bees visit the plants that eventually comprise our spices, including sage, basil, oregano and thyme. 

Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen of the UC Davis Department of Entomology faculty, says that even milk and ice cream are linked closely to the honey bee. Cows feed on alfalfa, which is pollinated by honey bees (along with other bees).

So, pardon the turkeys? Well, at least "Apple" and "Cider." But let's praise the honey bees, too.

And pomegranates!

It's a romantic getaway.

Say "San Ysidro Ranch" and someone will tell you that John F. Kennedy and his bride, Jackie, honeymooned there in September 1953.

So much has happened since then.  JFK went on to win the presidency in 1961 and tragically, 47 years ago today--Nov. 22, 1963--he lost his life in Dallas.

The San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, first a way station for San Franciscan monks in 1769, and then a citrus ranch before becoming a guest ranch in 1893, is now one of the most highly rated romantic getaways in the country.

The 500-acre site near Santa Barbara is also a "perfect 10" for honey bees and other insects foraging on the lush grounds.

It's a human paradise AND an entomological treasure.

When our son and his bride recently said "I do" at the very site that Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind) wed Sir Lawrence Olivier, honey bees added to the ceremony. They buzzed from flower to flower, gathering nectar and pollen for their winter stores. A touch of Mother Nature...a brush with Father Time.

Honey...honeymoon...honey bees...

Sweet!