Your cart is currently empty!
Get Event Reminders…
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
Your cart is currently empty!
…twice a month by subscribing to our newsletter
Subscribe using the form in the page footer below.
Photo:
Judith Cox;Â Lydia removing one of the boxes
Judith makes observations, including on bee and wasp diversity, as part of research done by a PhD student, as the bee hotel is dismantled for the season.
While the weather is still incredibly mild, I am seeing many of the signs of autumn. Most of the trees have lost their leaves and the chickadees are so very busy at the feeder. My favourite thing to do at this time of year is to gather milkweed seeds and lift them up to the wind. I love to watch the soft, cottony seeds as they dance around me on their way to the ground.
On Saturday I had a visit from Lydia Wong. Lydia is the PhD student who installed various bee hotels in my yard along with a temperature gage. I love talking about bees and wasps with Lydia. She has been measuring and comparing bee and wasp cocoons in various places about the city and seeing how they react to climate change.
Near the roadside, Lydia installed a different box than the two in the backyard. She suspects that a mud-dauber wasp had used the box and will be opening it up to weigh and measure the cocoons. At the lab she will have a better opportunity to identify the creatures who had visited. This particular box has paper straws inserted into the holes and she has found that occasionally birds will pull them out. This happened in my box a few times. One of the cocoons had eggs laid on it and she will grow out the eggs to identify the parasite. I find this whole procedure to be fascinating.
The bee hotel that was near my mulberry and crab apple trees had a few little cocoons in it. As you can see it has slots for the bees and wasps to enter and I can pull back the cover to peek as the outside walls are Plexiglas. We suspected that the stumps and logs nearby had proven to be more tempting as they provided a natural space for the bees and wasps to lay their eggs.
Lydia measured the distance from my small pond to both boxes, as proximity to water can be a factor. The box in the front yard is near many water sources as I have a birdbath and various containers of water on the ground. I have decided that my backyard needs more sources of water. The birdbath I have back there is not functioning that well as it has a hole.
After taking the two boxes down it looks like I have been visited by leaf-cutter bees, mason bees and grass-carrying wasps. I am really happy with the diversity of my native bees and wasps and now am excited to prepare the area to attract even more! The grass-carrying wasps are a new one on me and apparently, they prefer a cooler area. I might have a cooler yard because I have more vegetation, but also being near a swamp does bring my garden temperature down.
I loved spending time with Lydia and being able to help her with her research. It is so exciting to be a part of this as well as contributing to the growth of my environment. Enjoy your week.
Judith. (Email:Â sghorticultural@gmail.com)Â Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/author/judith-cox/
Logging in to comment gives you more features, but it is not required.
Discover the allure of forget me not flowers, whether as annuals or perennials. Perfect for gardeners wanting dainty, heavenly blooms. Buy or grow seeds!
Find out how to test your seeds to determine their germination potential. Discover our easy guide to testing your seeds and taking out the guesswork!
Discover why plants need the changing of the seasons to bloom with Plant Care Today's article "To Everything There is a Season – Even Plants". Get tips to help your plants bloom in their ideal time of year.
When transplanting, the shock might make the plants become weak and wither. With the use of Epsom salt, the shock is minimized considerably.
Learn how to attract black-capped chickadees to your garden by planting native trees and flowers that provide food and nesting spaces.
Just as I prepare to stay warm this winter, I also need to prepare the garden for the upcoming winter season. Prepare plants, winter compost.
Seasonal tips on picking pumpkins and squash. For example, if you are picking squash, remember to let them cure for about a week.
A soil calculator is essential for raised beds and container gardening, which provide easy control of loose, fertile soil. Read on for more.
Learn when and how to sow your seeds, optimal growing conditions, and tips for successful transplanting. Get ready to enjoy a bountiful garden this summer!
Discover Judy's simple process to dry Sage in the oven, which you can use to make tea & add taste to your dishes. Also find out the medicinal benefits of dried sage & how it helps against depression & Alzheimer's.
Dog Violet can be used as a ground cover. It grows well in native plant gardens, shade gardens, or in shady areas of rock gardens.
A quick guide to getting rid of fungus in mulch. Learn about yellow fungus and artillery fungus, how you can get rid of them.
GardeningCalendar.ca gets some funding from advertisers. If you click on links and advertisements at no cost to you, the site may receive a small commission that helps fund its operation.
© 2024 J&S Calendars Ltd.