Rangelands

With apologies to grammarians everywhere, the mulch/bee dilemma is a question I often receive. Many bee gardeners know that 70 percent of California native bees nest underground, and that access to bare soil is needed for nest building.

Blessed are the bees. When honey bees swarmed last week at the entrance to the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Vacaville, the site seemed quite fitting. Biblical references to bees and honey, such as "the land of milk and honey," abound. Blessed are the bees.

(Editor's Note: See this March 31st seminar on YouTube at https://youtu.be/z85B0NlmizU) Robert K. D.

How many kindergarten students have you heard say "When I grow up, I want to be an entomologist?" "Ento-what?" some folks will ask. "What's that?" Five-year-old Rebecca Jean "RJ" Millena could have told you. She still can. When she entered kindergarten in Concord, Calif.

When five-year-old Rebecca Jean RJ Millena entered her kindergarten class in Concord, Calif., she immediately settled on a career choice: entomology. An About Me poster hanging in her childhood home in Concord confirms it: When I grow up, I want to be an entomologist. She did and she is.

Have you hugged your taxonomist yet today? No? Probably can't due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but at least we can honor them every March 19 on Taxonomists' Appreciation Day. Basically, taxonomy is the science of describing, naming, defining and classifying organisms, both alive and extinct.

Seen any bumble bees lately? No? Me, neither. It's almost the first day of spring, and bumble bees are as scarce as the proverbial hen's teeth. (Hens have no teeth, y'know.) We've been watching our nectarine tree bloom. It's drawing honey bees, but no bumble bees.

Meet Henry, "an unexpected guest." Make that "an early, unexpected guest who was given a warm welcome and an even warmer send-off." Henry is a Marin County winter monarch butterfly.

Short- and Long-term Stock Water Strategies On a day that started with a long-overdue rainstorm here in Auburn, I received word that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack had declared a drought disaster in 50 of California's 58 counties including Placer, Nevada, Sutter, and Yuba.

If you want to learn about biochemistry, COVID-19, UC Davis and Cardiff University, all rolled into oneand reap an educational and entertaining experience at the same time--then you'll want to mark your calendar for 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 10, Pacific Time.