May 20th is World Bee Day! This
international day celebrates bees and acknowledges their significant role as
pollinators for our ecosystem. Bees are responsible for pollinating three-fourths
of the world’s flowering plants as well as most of our food crops. So today,
don’t take these small creatures for granted but give thanks to what they do
for you and the rest of humankind!
Happy Earth Day! One way to help Mother Earth is to plant native
milkweed. Once planted, monarch butterflies will lay their eggs and soon you’ll
discover caterpillars eating the leaves. Don’t worry, the caterpillars pupate
and before they hatch, the milkweed grows back in time for the mature monarch
butterflies to feed on the flowers’ nectar. Adult butterflies lay their eggs
and the circle of life begins again!
Happy Earth Month, April 2023. Do your part to help our planet thrive by helping our Earth’s pollinators! Support science-based groups like the Pollinator Partnership that promote practical ways to help pollinators in trouble through conservation, education, and research.
Monarch caterpillars are voracious eaters because it is during their larval stage that Monarchs do all their growing. They even eat their shell after they hatch and their molted (shedded) skin as they grow! Look at the mini monarch caterpillar near his giant friend who shows how large they must become before they pupate and hatch as bright orange and black butterflies who are great garden pollinators!
No, although they stay in the hive as much as possible and eat honey stored for the winter.
The female worker bees form a large
cluster and vibrate their bodies to generate heat to stay warm. The fortunate
queen bee is in the center where the temperature is warmer than the outside of
the cluster – an advantage to “bee-ing” royalty!
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