Shaded woodland can be full of surprises. Tolmiea menziesii, also known as the piggy-back plant, is so attractive to pollinators that it lures them into the dark forest floor where bees are sometimes scarce. But certain bees, especially small native bumbles, go from flower to flower, swiftly collecting sacks of bright red-orange pollen that almost […] Read more
No one knows exactly when some of the ancient hunting wasps stopped chasing their meals and opted for veggies. We simply don’t have detailed records of early transitional species. What we do know is that some descendants of the early Crabronidae family of wasps gave up meat in favor of pollen, eventually becoming bees. By […] Read more
In the back of the feed store, where pallets of fifty-pound sacks rise to the ceiling and a calico cat naps on a hanging scale, I watch two women obsess over brands of layer ration. From what I can hear, they are comparing the protein content of various brands. It makes sense. If you want […] 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
“Where have all the flowers gone?” is a folk song written by Pete Seeger in 1955. Since then, the song about war and death has been recorded by dozens of artists in many languages, and additional verses have been added by various performers. In 2010, the New Statesman chose the piece as one of the […] Read more
As beekeepers, we tend to underestimate the importance of winter bees. We are especially unconcerned late in August, just when the colony is on the brink of producing these winter wonders. On a sultry August afternoon when the cat is long and the air is too hot to move, the next brew may seem more […] Read more
In the back of the feed store, where pallets of fifty-pound sacks rise to the ceiling, I watched two women obsess over brands of layer ration. From what I could hear, they were concerned about protein content and they were comparing the nutritional labels. It makes sense. If you want healthy chickens and many eggs, […] Read more