Posts Tagged: flowers

Third Graders Learn About Pollinators

(June 17-23 is National Pollinator Week.) "How many species of bees are there in the world?" asks Wendy Mather, program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP), as she greets a group of third graders at the Häagen-Dazs Honey...

Wendy Mather (left) program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program, explains the life cycle of bees to a group of third graders from Amador County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Wendy Mather (left) program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program explains the life cycle of bees to a group of third graders from Amador County. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Wendy Mather (left) program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program shows the third graders how to use a bee vacuum in a catch-and-release activity. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Wendy Mather (left) program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program shows the third graders how to use a bee vacuum in a catch-and-release activity. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I can see the bee! There it is! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I can see the bee! There it is! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What kind of butterfly is this? The answer: Monarch! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What kind of butterfly is this? The answer: Monarch! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Wendy Mather, program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP), tells the students she hopes to see them study entomology at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Wendy Mather, program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP), tells the students she hopes to see them study entomology at UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Volunteer Julia Wentzel introduced the concept of "pollinator specialists" and engaged the students in creating a "pollinator." They then transferred "pollen" to different shaped flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Volunteer Julia Wentzel introduced the concept of "pollinator specialists" and engaged the students in creating a "pollinator." They then transferred "pollen" to different shaped flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Volunteer Robin Lowry, who managed the “Planting for Pollinators” and “Be a Beekeeper” station, displays a frame. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Volunteer Robin Lowry, who managed the “Planting for Pollinators” and “Be a Beekeeper” station, displays a frame. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Students placed "pollinators" inside flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Students placed "pollinators" inside flowers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Time to take a photo! Don't say "cheese!" Say "honey!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Time to take a photo! Don't say "cheese!" Say "honey!" (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Matthew Hoepfinger, staff research associate in the E. L. Niño lab, presented the live bee demonstration. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Matthew Hoepfinger, staff research associate in the E. L. Niño lab, presented the live bee demonstration. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hey, I'm a bee! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hey, I'm a bee! (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A little beekeeper shapes a heart. Students took turns trying on the beekeeper protective suits. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A little beekeeper shapes a heart. Students took turns trying on the beekeeper protective suits. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Check Out the Open Farm Day in Vacaville on Saturday, Aug. 4

What's life like on the farm? If you're looking for something to do on Saturday, Aug. 4, the Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association (PVAA) of Vacaville is hosting its first-ever Open Farm Day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, free admission and open to...

You're likely to see lots of bees at the Open Farm Tour, especially in the Morningsun Herb Farm nursery. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

You're likely to see lots of bees at the Open Farm Tour, especially in the Morningsun Herb Farm nursery. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A goat at the Morningsun Herb Farm readily accepts a carrot. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A goat at the Morningsun Herb Farm readily accepts a carrot. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bee-Bopping with the Penstemon Margarita BOP

So we purchased a sky blue Penstemon cultivar with a tag labeled "Penstemon Margarita BOP." BOP? Bureau of Prisons? Bottom of the Pyramid? Business Owner's Policy? Basic Operation Plan? Breach of Peace? No, none of the above. It's an acronym for...

A honey bee approaches a Penstemon Margarita BOP. BOP? That means "Bottom of the Porch." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee approaches a Penstemon Margarita BOP. BOP? That means "Bottom of the Porch." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee enters the long tube of the Penstemon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The honey bee enters the long tube of the Penstemon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A"bee-bopping" honey bee heads for a Penstemon Margarita BOP. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A"bee-bopping" honey bee heads for a Penstemon Margarita BOP. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on the Penstemon Margarita BOP. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A honey bee foraging on the Penstemon Margarita BOP. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Word of the Day: Nototribic

The black-tailed bumble bee wasn't flying very well. You wouldn't, either, if you were trying to fly with a backpack on your back. Except this wasn't a backpack but sticky pollen. The bumble bee, Bombus melanopygus, was foraging in our Spanish...

A black-tailed bumble bee, Bombus melanopygus with a thick load of resin on her thorax. She had just visited a nototribic flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A black-tailed bumble bee, Bombus melanopygus with a thick load of resin on her thorax. She had just visited a nototribic flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dorsal view of the pollen hump on the back of the black-tailed bumble bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatle Garvey)

Dorsal view of the pollen hump on the back of the black-tailed bumble bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatle Garvey)

Musical Flowers: Jockeying for Position

You've heard of "musical chairs," that anxiety-driven elimination game involving chairs, music and players.  When the music stops and a chair is eliminated, the players race for the remaining seats. No one wants to be the first loser. Well,...

A black syrphid fly aims for the same Mexican sunflower, occupied by another syprhid fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A black syrphid fly aims for the same Mexican sunflower, occupied by another syprhid fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I'm outta here! The hover fly (probably Eristalis tenax) lifts off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

I'm outta here! The hover fly (probably Eristalis tenax) lifts off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not giving up and still jockeying for position, the two hover flies try to claim the same flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not giving up and still jockeying for position, the two hover flies try to claim the same flower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ah, all mine. A black hover fly or Mexican cactus fly claims a Tithonia blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ah, all mine. A black hover fly or Mexican cactus fly claims a Tithonia blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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