me Ilcmo 8 Tuesday March 14 2000 Cc What’s Standard-Examin- Eric Mussen Entomology Department University of California at Davis Davis CA 9561 6 address: the all C: :rdsn EUBjEUBJiUfl m buzz about? pollinated by tees from hives and by solitary pollen Bees are official to the success of many plants In a homeowner’s garden (EuajdJBLiajgjajajgjajfugjcLfajaJBJBJBJB ExCeIIeNT WOfik- - SUpERKJR pROduCTS WiNdow screens Patk) doofts Pet dooRs SEOJRny cJoors Storm dooRs ANd more! ? ecmussenucdavisedu T32E2LCTS AFLCUia Flowers are Mussen fields questions about bees from Mexico to Oregon “The Forgotten Pollinators" by Stephen Buchmann and Gary Nabhan (Island Press 1997) bees er ? a I I ? P a 779-580- § i We maIce housE caIIs! MobitE Service S 7 1(877) 564-560- 0 IRFAN KHAN Los Angefes Times By JUUE BAWDEN DAVIS Los Angeles Tines Syndicate eesarethe U I underappreciated workers of the garden 'They forage for pollen and spread it around the yard and they’re the reason many plants bear fruit and vegetables “We tend to take bees for granted but I can’t emphasize enough how important they are for the garden” says David Marder president of the Orange County (Calif) Beekeeper’s Association and owner of Beebusters a company that specializes in bee removal in Laguna Beach Calif Bees are critical in the garden agrees Eric Mussen extension apiculturist with the entomology department at the University of California at Davis “Plants such as cucumbers squash and melons as well as many fruit and nut trees won’t produce a crop unless visited by bees Although some plants can produce without pollination their crops tend to be inferior” he says Unpollinated fruits and vegetables will be malformed and only partially developed A strawberry that wasn’t visited by a bee for example will be smalL The more pollination the bigger and better the quality of the fruit and vegetables And a number of plants will not produce seed without the help of bees Spreading fear The threat of European hives becoming Africanized has caused many places to prohibit backyard beekeeping which some say is not the answer “I think it’s going to be environmentally detrimental to remove the hives because all we’ll be left with is Africanized bees” says Marder who moved his bees out of his property in Laguna Beach to a more remote location Mussen agrees: “All they’re really doing is taking friendly bees out of the environment and leaving Africanized ones there The beekeeper who maintains his colonies is an asset to the community” With the introduction of Africanized bees known as killer bees because they are so aggressive into an area properly maintaining a hive now means taking precautions that weren’t once necessary says Nick Nisson entomologist with the Agricultural Commissioner’s office in Anaheim Calif “Beekeepers have to take steps to ensure that their hives don’t become Africanized which includes reintroducing a hive on a regular basis with an artificially inseminated queen from a commercial bee breeder” Nisson says Queens should be replaced at least every year and often more frequently with these artificially inseminated queens These queens don’t go on any mating flights and therefore aren’t in danger of breeding with Africanized bees and creating Africanized bees “The hobbyist beekeepers actively maintaining hives need to be aware that they should either get rid of their hives or begin requeening” Nisson says “It’s the unattended hives that cause problems” Despite the Africanized bees’ aggressive tendencies the good news is that they are just as good if not better foragers than European bees so backyard crops shouldn’t be adversely affected I immune i i 575 Digital OGDEN CITY MALL (Lower Level by CPenney) 621-13- 00 399-060RIVERDALE RD (Across from Macey's) Foraging heroes 6 5 ROY At any given time a third of honeybees are out foraging for pollen and nectar Mussen says Pollen provides tees with protein vitamins minerals and fat and nectar gives them 3084 S 1 1150 N Hwy 900 W 392-323- 3 HARRISVILLE 89 2146 N MAIN - arTouch- DAVIS Los Angeles Times Syndicate you want to attract bees to garden there are a few to keep in mind Grow a variety of plants that flower and provide pollen and nectar over a long season Plants in the legume and sunflower family as well as fruit trees attract bees Never water plants from above that provide pollen and nectar to bees Provide bees with water Consider including vertical If banks or small patches of bare earth which are attractive to certain pollen bees for nesting 1 Leave a small area of the garden undisturbed where native plants and a few weeds can grow This will give bees food and a breeding area Entice pollen bees into the back yard by providing them with scrap lumber that has several small holes drilled into it Bees usually like holes of about 516-inc- h diameter and 3 to 5 inches deep Or provide bees with commercially made nesting r ij ' 728-070- 0 See store for additional 1S 95 e Per Month indudM FREE paging FREE wm rnr mo nit mconNng Some rMtnctmm apply OAC Annual service agreement required While supples last Refurbished phone Advertised once plan evaiiabie only with Qualcom 800 phone minute FREE details (By Albertson’s) 'Wit-- T-'t- it- i'Se ‘itifc lUlliP' ’MH-I- H- MOOT ©ILA8S Over 40 Years Experience Serving The 4 County Area: Weber Davis Morgan & Box Eider or Nabhan of “The Forgotten Pollinators” (Island Press 1997 M Featuring Quality $17) Julie Bawden David is a free-lanwriter who lives in Orange Calif She writes frequently about lifestyles and trends We make ce pj blocks often called “bee condos” that are carried through a variety of mail-ordsuppliers Avoid using pesticides in the garden If you have a pest problem use a light oil spray or insecticidal soap Such products kill a tee if you hit it directly but they won’t leave harmful residues Just make sure to spray in evening hours when most bees are dormant If you have to use pesticides avoid spraying the blooms Be especially careful not to use products containing the chemical carbaryl off your place someplace snecial Make sure bees love your garden By JUUE BAWDEN Also paging 782-840- 0 LAYTuN carbohydrates The foraging tees take the pollen back to the hive for consumption by the worker tees who then make royal jelly which is fed to the queen and her larvae The nectar that tees transport to the hive is converted into honey A big often overlooked group are pollen bees There are 4000 species of such tees in the continental United States that don’t make honey but do forage for pollen “These native bees are the unsung heroes and heroines of pollination” says Stephen with Gary Buchmann i Minutes for RIVERDALE 3675 t : A Platinum paint products Now thru April 15 Mon-F- COmPLGTG GLASS er 8 Sat SGQVECG ri am-5:- 30 8 am-- pm 1 pm Mmz Nursery & Garden Center iSfoTp The Greenery Professionals Browse our 2XA acres of greenhouse filled with: House Plants Vegetable Starts Annual Bedding Plants Etc ComltirsiB Co roup BoD:© O) O o iru cB it o 5 B B DU B DU As the Largest Nursery in Northern Utah we have a great selection of: Shrubs Evergreens Perennial Flowers Flowering & Shade Only Trees or only $3Smonth Our Non-Pla- INSTALLED Standard Installation 2 Ton Unit 12 Months Same As Cash Available Next Day Installation We have professionals to r Offer good thru March 21 2000 (oac) Competitive Low Pricing 21-0-- Sait Lake Metro 963-360- 0 C'onx-Davis Weber 334-540- 0 Bulk Grass Seed assist with all ofyour Yard & Garden needs and questions 0 Develops Blades Improves Density 16-16- -8 Utah’s Finest Greens $J98 ur o9t Packaged & Bulk Seed Tools Gift Shop Includes: Cools Average Home up to 1200 sq ft Fertilizers Fountain Statuary & Bird Baths Garden & Yard Hand (OJLC) LEfJfJ&JZ Items Include: nt Lawns Garden Flowers FERTILIZER 50 lbs bag covers 1000 sq ft $JQ98 J 1 1815 W Gentile St in Layton Monday Saturday Open year-roun- d 544-121- v Utah Countv 356-260- 0 -- toll free at cii1r IVif f— - 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