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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper March 2016 Page 37
Christine Schoene Maccabee Courtesy Image of a bumble bee
the residents closely. Even wasps
and hornets are important for
the control of things like bean
On The Wild Side beetles and asparagus beetles. I
no longer have such pests due to
my tolerance and appreciation of
my wild-winged neighbors.
There are 25,000 known
The Mysterious Lives of Insects (Part 1) species of bee, some as tiny as a
grain of rice and others huge and
furry (in Alaska). All of them are
essential for life to continue as
One day I think I know everything there is to know until we know it on this earth, many of are slow to awaken until the flowers
one day I wake up and realize I know nothing. them pollinating only specific plants. warm up and the nectar ferments.
Who knows? It is all a great
Without them, there would be far
— Anon fewer seeds, unless of course we mystery, unless you are a botanist/
employ human pollinators with tiny entomologist who spends hours
When I was twenty-nine, I his books, and I will never look at paint brushes or vibrating wands, trying to find out why bees have
distinctly remember thinking that I bees the same as I used to. In fact, as some countries like Australia smelly feet. Yes, smelly feet.
Next month, I will continue
do. However, without pollinators,
knew all there was to know in life. I can hardly wait to examine them we would have fewer wildflowers, to explore with you some of the
Then I gave birth to my first child more closely this year now that I just squash and cucumbers, and we bizarre, little-known, truths of the
and all that thinking was turned on know more about them. would be spending all day in our amazingly mysterious insects we are
its head, for with her birth a whole You may notice bees of many gardens with our paintbrushes and all curious about, especially anyone
new world was opened to me, and different sizes and coloration on wands! who is reading this article or are
with each step along the way there your flowers. A few of these will Did you know that bees get high investigating the natural world in
was a new discovery. be actual bumble bees native to on the alcohol content of the nectar your own mysterious way. Through
The natural world is much like our country, but others, such as the
that. Whether I learn on my own out honey bee, were brought here by in flowers they feed on? Perhaps that curiosity, most discoveries are made,
and if we all got more curious—
is why I see them fall asleep after
in the woods, fields, and gardens, settlers in the 17th century. Among a long day on the last flower they along with our children—we just
or through books, I am continually many other fascinating bees, native suck. Perhaps that is also why they might heal our world and ourselves.
astounded by what I do not know. and non-native, there are the Mason
Insects and plants seem to appear bees. Mason bees are just that... Christine is a Master Habitat Naturalist in the State of Maryland and is available
out of nowhere to teach me the truth masons. The females convert clay for consultations as to how to make your property—no matter how small—more
of how amazingly mysterious life into cement-like material. Some may wildlife and wildflower friendly. She can be reached at [email protected].
really is. As for books, what would I choose to build inside empty snail
do without them?! shells, in flower pots, or old wood
Many wonderful books have piles, and some line each nest with
been written by botanists and snips of flower petals. To me, their
entomologists (people who study structures are not only works of art
plants and insects), and one but labors of love as well.
contemporary author in particular Mining bees are black with long
truly “takes the cake.” Dave hair—or, as Mr. Goulson calls it, fur.
Goulson exemplifies the true They are very important pollinators
naturalist, who from childhood and are not to be feared so long as
was examining frogs, birds, insects, you keep your distance. I call that
even road kill, in his own childish respect. The female (queen) digs a
way; he was most fortunate to have long branching tunnel in the soil,
parents who indulged him. I, too, creates a brood cell (for the egg) at
was fortunate to have such patient the end of each branch, and stocks
parents who allowed me to do each cell with pollen balls and nectar
similar things, like getting milkweed pots as food for larva after hatching.
leaves for my Monarch caterpillars Then she lays one egg on each pollen
on a long road trip, stopping every ball in each cell, and then the cell is
hour or so for fresh leaves. Back sealed. As the larva develops, it eats
then, before extreme mowing or the pollen and the nectar, which had
herbiciding, milkweed was found all been provided by the queen mother.
along the major highways. Imagine A loving act? Or an act of survival?
that! Likely, both.
Mr. Goulson is a particularly Bees are very private and tend
curious British chap, who as a to create their nests in obscure,
grown man worked with PhD out-of-the-way places, such as vole
candidates, together studying all holes in meadows and fields, but
sorts of peculiar insects, especially now and then we will find them in
butterflies and bees. His books A our compost piles. Our tendency
Buzz in the Meadow and A Sting to fear anything that stings can be
in the Tale (which can be found in a real problem for bees, as well
our library) have taught me things as for the healthy pollination of
I never knew before, and expanded our flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
my feelings of awe for wild things Rather than destroying the first
even more than before. I knew very bee nest we see, I suggest we get
little about bumble bees until I read curious and watch the behaviors of
Christine Schoene Maccabee Courtesy Image of a bumble bee
the residents closely. Even wasps
and hornets are important for
the control of things like bean
On The Wild Side beetles and asparagus beetles. I
no longer have such pests due to
my tolerance and appreciation of
my wild-winged neighbors.
There are 25,000 known
The Mysterious Lives of Insects (Part 1) species of bee, some as tiny as a
grain of rice and others huge and
furry (in Alaska). All of them are
essential for life to continue as
One day I think I know everything there is to know until we know it on this earth, many of are slow to awaken until the flowers
one day I wake up and realize I know nothing. them pollinating only specific plants. warm up and the nectar ferments.
Who knows? It is all a great
Without them, there would be far
— Anon fewer seeds, unless of course we mystery, unless you are a botanist/
employ human pollinators with tiny entomologist who spends hours
When I was twenty-nine, I his books, and I will never look at paint brushes or vibrating wands, trying to find out why bees have
distinctly remember thinking that I bees the same as I used to. In fact, as some countries like Australia smelly feet. Yes, smelly feet.
Next month, I will continue
do. However, without pollinators,
knew all there was to know in life. I can hardly wait to examine them we would have fewer wildflowers, to explore with you some of the
Then I gave birth to my first child more closely this year now that I just squash and cucumbers, and we bizarre, little-known, truths of the
and all that thinking was turned on know more about them. would be spending all day in our amazingly mysterious insects we are
its head, for with her birth a whole You may notice bees of many gardens with our paintbrushes and all curious about, especially anyone
new world was opened to me, and different sizes and coloration on wands! who is reading this article or are
with each step along the way there your flowers. A few of these will Did you know that bees get high investigating the natural world in
was a new discovery. be actual bumble bees native to on the alcohol content of the nectar your own mysterious way. Through
The natural world is much like our country, but others, such as the
that. Whether I learn on my own out honey bee, were brought here by in flowers they feed on? Perhaps that curiosity, most discoveries are made,
and if we all got more curious—
is why I see them fall asleep after
in the woods, fields, and gardens, settlers in the 17th century. Among a long day on the last flower they along with our children—we just
or through books, I am continually many other fascinating bees, native suck. Perhaps that is also why they might heal our world and ourselves.
astounded by what I do not know. and non-native, there are the Mason
Insects and plants seem to appear bees. Mason bees are just that... Christine is a Master Habitat Naturalist in the State of Maryland and is available
out of nowhere to teach me the truth masons. The females convert clay for consultations as to how to make your property—no matter how small—more
of how amazingly mysterious life into cement-like material. Some may wildlife and wildflower friendly. She can be reached at [email protected].
really is. As for books, what would I choose to build inside empty snail
do without them?! shells, in flower pots, or old wood
Many wonderful books have piles, and some line each nest with
been written by botanists and snips of flower petals. To me, their
entomologists (people who study structures are not only works of art
plants and insects), and one but labors of love as well.
contemporary author in particular Mining bees are black with long
truly “takes the cake.” Dave hair—or, as Mr. Goulson calls it, fur.
Goulson exemplifies the true They are very important pollinators
naturalist, who from childhood and are not to be feared so long as
was examining frogs, birds, insects, you keep your distance. I call that
even road kill, in his own childish respect. The female (queen) digs a
way; he was most fortunate to have long branching tunnel in the soil,
parents who indulged him. I, too, creates a brood cell (for the egg) at
was fortunate to have such patient the end of each branch, and stocks
parents who allowed me to do each cell with pollen balls and nectar
similar things, like getting milkweed pots as food for larva after hatching.
leaves for my Monarch caterpillars Then she lays one egg on each pollen
on a long road trip, stopping every ball in each cell, and then the cell is
hour or so for fresh leaves. Back sealed. As the larva develops, it eats
then, before extreme mowing or the pollen and the nectar, which had
herbiciding, milkweed was found all been provided by the queen mother.
along the major highways. Imagine A loving act? Or an act of survival?
that! Likely, both.
Mr. Goulson is a particularly Bees are very private and tend
curious British chap, who as a to create their nests in obscure,
grown man worked with PhD out-of-the-way places, such as vole
candidates, together studying all holes in meadows and fields, but
sorts of peculiar insects, especially now and then we will find them in
butterflies and bees. His books A our compost piles. Our tendency
Buzz in the Meadow and A Sting to fear anything that stings can be
in the Tale (which can be found in a real problem for bees, as well
our library) have taught me things as for the healthy pollination of
I never knew before, and expanded our flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
my feelings of awe for wild things Rather than destroying the first
even more than before. I knew very bee nest we see, I suggest we get
little about bumble bees until I read curious and watch the behaviors of
