RE: native/wild bees- and other good bugs

Great news about your bees, Theresa.  
The other day my boss asked me what he should get to kill bees.  I asked
him what problem they were posing.  He looked at me quizzically and said,
"Well, they're just THERE."  These are the kind of people who 'buy
bug-b-gone' and 'kills-all'.  I generally have no problem with wasps and
bees doing their thing in my yard. I know some people are allergic and some
nests do need to be removed because of their location, but just to kill
them because they exist totally baffles me.  People don't realize the
benefits.

Kitty


> [Original Message]
> From: Theresa- yahoo <tchessie@yahoo.com>
> To: GardenChat <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 6/1/2003 8:57:39 AM
> Subject: [CHAT] native/wild bees- and other good bugs
>
> Hi all-
>
> I thought I'd give you an update on my bees project.  Both types of bees
> (mason and California) hatched and hung out in my garden.  A few even laid
> eggs in the nest for next year.  Wish there were more, but considering
they
> were interrupted midstream by having my house painted, I'm happy any of
them
> found the nest.
>
> Also, I have ALOT more wild bees this year.  I have a huge black bumble
bee
> who seems to have found a hole is an old log that he likes : )  I have
> learned the bumblebees are used commercially to pollinate tomatoes.
> Something about how they can vibrate their body.  Also, I have oodles of
> little bees that have been filling the holes in another small bee block
> (essentially a block of wood with smaller holes drilled in it).  They LOVE
> the lavendar, sweet allysum, and especially the flowers on the cilantro
that
> went to seed.  I've never seen so many bugs on any plant before, several
> varieties of bees, a wasp or two,and butterflys and other flying critters.
> I'll make sure I let more go to seed in the future.  Finally, I have many
> ladybugs this year.  I released some in early spring, and seems that many
> decided to stick around.  They are in various locations, like in the
> leaves/stems of jasmine twining up the back arbor, on the fennel, and
other
> places.
> I have had almost no aphids this year (they are gone within days after I
> notice a few), and my white flies are gone since I first released them.
>
> Oh- I also have a dragon fly who has adopted my back yard!  So, I feel
like
> I'm getting closer to some homeostasis in the bug world.  Amazing how many
> more things live here since I stopped using chemical fertilizers!  I
hadn't
> used pesticides (except in one desperate case) in a couple of years, but
> over the past 1- 1/2 years I also switched to using only organic
> fertilizers, and that seems to have made a big difference.  Now if I only
> could attract some toads and a snake or two!
>
> Theresa
>
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