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Bombus mixtus enjoying the sage blossoms and snowberry in our front yard Honeybee collecting nectar=Sage Honey this fall ©Tracey Byrne 2017 Did you know that almost 90% of all flowering plants rely on animals, rather than the wind, for pollination? Over 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators. The vast majority of animal pollinators are insects such as beetles, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies and moths; of these, bees pollinate the largest number of plant species. About 1,000 species of pollinators are hummingbirds, bats and other small mammals (Pollinator Partnership, 2017). Visit Pollinator Partnership and bee inspired with ways to support all our pollinators
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This lovely watershed map was hanging at Seward Park; here are some Seattle Public Utilities links to our watersheds and watershed projects. This winter Seattle broke its rainfall record with 44.7 inches of rain (that is almost 4 feet!) between October and April, making it our wettest winter since 1895. We also had our coldest winter since 1985, which means that even if you are a winter person at heart, you too are ready to sit on your patio with an umbrella drink (and complain about the heat :^) Sunday stroll around Seward Park
Wondering what to feed the birds in your neighborhood? We provide black sunflower seeds and two suet holders, which attracts 25 different species of urban dinosaur! Project FeederWatch has a plethora of resources to peruse, with common feeder birds and their preferences, Tricky Bird IDs, and FeederWatch cams. Some of our regulars below: Stellar Jay, Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chickadee, and Spotted Towhee. Want to know more? Check out these fantastic fact-filled sites: Audubon Guide to North American Birds Cornell Lab All About Birds Yardmap's Habitat Network 100 common birds food & feeder reference=Project Feederwatch
Guest Post by Sam = Organic Lesson In the past decade, the plight of the honey bees has become a very important issue, and rightly so, as they play an essential part in the growth of crops and produce. Many do not realize that bees aren't just there to produce honey. They also play an important part in pollinating surrounding crops. One way in which we are detrimentally affecting the bee population is through the use of chemical pesticide. As tempting as it is to use such a method to eradicate pests in your backyard, it should be noted that not only is pesticide harmful to the bees, they are also harmful to you as well. If you are a gardener who wants to use a natural control method instead then consider the use of beneficial insects. As the name implies, beneficial insects are bugs that can help eradicate common garden pests without doing any damage to your garden produce. Not all insects are bad. There are many such as the examples listed in the infographic that can be very effective at getting rid of common pests like aphids, caterpillars, and spider mites. Who knew the beautiful ladybug could be so effective at getting rid of aphid infestations in the garden? Other than the benefit of keeping things organic, using these insects can also be a great way to save money. Chemical pesticide is only going to get more expensive moving forward so why not use a method that takes advantage of the natural resource around you? If you are lucky then some of the beneficial insects could be native to the area you live in so all you have to do is to make your garden an attractive area for them to roam. One last thing to keep in mind is that there really isn't a way for pests to resist these bugs. According to the Pesticide Action Network, more and more insects and weed species are developing resistance against pesticide. With beneficial insects, however, the pests are being eaten so they really have nowhere to go. If you are a gardener with a backyard then start taking action now. Help sustain the local population of bees in your area by sticking to a natural pest control method. Sam Choan is a gardening enthusiast who enjoys sharing his experience on gardening and sustainability at his personal blog Organic Lesson. During his spare time, Sam grows a number of herbs in his indoor garden and finds ways to promote green living.
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