Rangelands

As mentioned in my post of May 1, my position at the Haven is being eliminated. Recognizing that the need for bee gardening information will remain, this post is a summary of resource materials, web sites, and nurseries that you may find helpful in the future.

In the human world, we recognize Mother's Day as a special day to celebrate all mothers. It's a day that Anna Jarvis of Grafton, West Va., established on May 10, 1909 with a worship service at St. Andrew's Methodist Church, Grafton. Lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are mothers, too.

Being bothered by mosquitoes and troubled about the risk of diseases? Mosquitoes are not just annoying. They can be deadly.

The University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM) has an exciting, newly updated resource to help you better understand pesticide active ingredients and the risks different active ingredients pose to people and the environment.

It was all the buzz. Thousands of bee and honey enthusiasts made a beeline for the California Honey Festival, held last Saturday on the Yolo County Fairgrounds.

Look closely at a patch of California golden poppies and you may see a sweat bee (genus Halictus) collecting gold pollen. The pollen basket is on the hind legs but you'll see "gold" also dusting the head and abdomen. Native bee, commonly known as "halictid bee." Native plant.

You usually see Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis Department of Entomology, in the insect museum, answering questions, guiding tours, or doing outreach at schools, festivals, fairs, open houses and other special events.

A previous blog covered the steps to take before starting a bee garden. Now it's time to talk about the plants and how to take care of them. Plant selection depends on many factors, including personal preference, climate, soil type, irrigation frequency, and plant availability.

I've spoken with countless gardeners over the years who wish to start their own bee haven. That's great -- the bees need all the help we can give them. But the most misunderstood part of the process is how much preparation needs to take place before a single plant goes in the ground.

Despite the weather forecast of heavy rain and wind, honey bees will still be "attending" the California Honey Festival. They'll be safe and dry in the bee observation hives. The free and family friendly event, co-sponsored by the University of California, Davis, takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.