A reader wrote that she was confused about scheduling oxalic acid vaporization treatments when brood is present. Some folks advised her to use three treatments five days apart, another advised three treatments seven days apart. She wants to know which is best. I think the big question here is how long after a treatment does […] Read more
The green-banded mariposa lily is a striking flower in the Liliaceae family that is native to the dry regions of the Pacific Northwest. I first saw this lily last year on a trip to the Oregon high desert. At the time, I was impressed by its simple beauty and its ability to thrive on parched […] Read more
Here is the problem. Over there, just beyond a tall hedgerow, is a vast field of wildflowers. Many of those plants need insect pollinators to move their pollen from flower to flower. Over here, just outside your garage, is a thriving honey bee colony with lots of brood to feed. Pollen is an essential part […] Read more
I thought pigs would fly before I ever tasted purple honey. But here’s the funny thing: last week a small jar of the precious liquid arrived in my mail box, compliments of Flying Pig Apiary in Durham, North Carolina. So either I was wrong or it’s time to wear pig shields! A week earlier beekeeper […] Read more
My small stand of lovage comes back strong every year and grows to be eight feet tall. Both native bees and honey bees love it, although the blooms are so far overhead I have trouble seeing who all is up there. The leaves are large and intricately cut, the stems are hollow, and the entire […] Read more
The orange-tipped wood digger, Anthophora terminalis, is a bee I never saw until I ran into this feisty fellow. I was working in my garden during the last week of June when something quick and loud began bugging me. At first I thought it was a bumble bee. But unlike a bumble bee, it would […] Read more