Honey Bees and Other Pollinators Need Our Help

Tri-Colored Bumble Bee (Bombus-ternarius) on Dandelion

 As spring blooms have come out, so too has more news about the dire situation of the earth's pollinators. To find out more I attended a pollinator workshop, held at Carter Hill Orchard in Concord and organized by the Merrimack County Conservation District. The owners of Carter Hill Orchard, the Larocque family, have set aside a plot of land that will be turned into a pollinator habitat, offering blooms, and a food source for pollinators throughout the growing season, and not just in the spring when the apple trees are in bloom. The Larocque's recognize the importance of helping honey bees and other pollinators as their livelihood depends upon there being a healthy pollinator population for years to come.

There were plenty of blooms at Carter Hill Orchard on May 13, the day of the Pollinator Workshop

The workshop speaker was pollinator expert from the Xerces Society, Eric Mader. He identified three requirements for the survival of wild bees - pollen and nectar sources, availability of nesting habitat and protection from pesticides. Fortunately, these are three areas that we as individuals can address. Home gardeners love plants, be it vegetables or flowers. So as you peruse the nursery in search of what to plant this year, select plants that have varying bloom times. This will not only beautify your garden throughout the year, but you will ensure an adequate food source for pollinators from spring into fall. At Carter Hill, they are dedicating a plot of land next to their apple trees and blueberry bushes to be a future pollinator garden. The participants of the workshop were able to go outside and view the site where the project will be developed later this year. Examples of plants that are adaptable to New England climate were available. When shopping, try to purchase native when available.

Eric Mader describes how to create a pollinator habitat

Starting with bare soil is important so that the new plants and seeds have an opportunity to take hold without competition from grasses. At home, this can be done by either turning the soil over, or an easier way, although it takes more time is to cover the desired area with a thick layering of newspapers, then mulch heavily. By the following year, the area should be ready for planting.

Bees and butterflies also need areas where they can lay their eggs and have a food source readily available during all stages of life and which can also provide wintering habitat for those insects that don't migrate. The easiest way to help out in this regard is to leave undisturbed certain areas of your yard, such as along forest edges and stone walls. Dead leaves, logs, and sandy soils are all good habitat areas. You can also make or purchase bee houses, but these are not preferred over natural habitats.

Spring Ledge Farm in New London promotes pollinator habitat in more ways than selling flowers

Finally, it is important to keep your yard pesticide free. The adverse impacts on pollinators is becoming increasingly clear, and even organic options may not be a better as far as pollinators are concerned.

Even though honey bees declined 40% over the past year, and monarch numbers have declined by about 90% over the past 20 years, I am hopeful that with the increased attention being paid to these declining numbers by policy-makers and the media, that we will be able to reverse this trend. If you are interested in taking steps to protect pollinators consider signing the "Pollinator Protection Pledge" from the Xerces Society and make your yard a pollinator friendly habitat.

Rhubarb Apple Crisp

A fall classic becomes a spring favorite, by adding fresh rhubarb. A little vanilla and sugar helps pare down the tartness of the fruit for a smooth flavor.

Topping: ¾ cup flour

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup old fashioned oats

½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped walnuts

Mix first 3 ingredients and spices, then cut in butter until coarse; add nuts.

 Filling: 4 tart apples peeled and chopped

2 cups rhubarb, washed and chopped

½ teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon flour

Combine apples and rhubarb, then stir in vanilla. Sprinkle sugar and flour over fruit. Transfer filling into greased 8”x 8” pan. Sprinkle filling over top and bake at 400 degrees until fruit is tender, about 45 minutes.

The Hummingbirds are Back

This male hummingbird matches the colors of this Red Twig Dogwood

I glanced ed out my window during the first week in May and thought I saw a hummingbird fly by, so I filled up the feeder to see if they had returned from their winter migration. By noontime a male and female were sitting and sipping very deliberately the sugar nectar from the feeder. Most likely replenishing their reserves. This pair will now be with us throughout the summer, visiting the flowers in the yard, and the feeder throughout the day. They have become very accustomed to people and don't mind giving us a show while we sit outside on the patio.

If you live in New England and you see a hummingbird, it is most likely a Ruby-Throated. The male is unmistakeable with its bright orange ring around its throat. The female does not have any red, but is green, with a white breast. The other native species is the Rufous of which the male has an orange throat. In the fall of 2013, a Calliope hummingbird was observed in Manchester for several weeks. This was a very unusual sighting for this part of the country.

Hummingbirds are effective pollinators as their feathers on their head are a good collector of pollen which is then transferred from plant to plant. In addition to eating nectar, hummingbirds also catch and eat insects while in flight. During the day, they are almost constantly moving with a heart rate that can exceed 1200 beats per minute. Because of this constant movement and burning of calories, they need to consume almost their entire body weight each day in food. At night, they enter a hibernation like state called torpor1. Along the East Coast hummingbirds will migrate as far south as panama and may reside in Central America or Mexico. Amazingly these birds can survive five to seven years in the wild.

There have been recent concerns that with the warming seasonal temperatures and the changes in plant bloom times that hummingbirds can be adversely effected. Since 90% of their diet is nectar, the types and availability of flowers throughout the season is critical. In addition to planting a variety of plants attractive to hummingbirds (honeysuckle, bee balm, jewel weed, columbine, hyssop), the Audubon Society is creating a database to track their location and activity. The program began in 2013 and is seeking volunteers to regularly report sightings. For further information, go to http://www.hummingbirdsathome.org/.


There isn't much in nature that is as amazing as these tiniest of birds and with minimal effort, we can help ensure that they will adapt and continue to thrive in spite of a changing climate. 

1Texas A&M University. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-62_pollinators-hummingbirds.htm

Permaculture is alive and growing in New Hampshire

Permaculture has taken hold in New Hampshire, which was evidenced by the 120 people who attending the showing of "Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective" in Franklin Thursday evening. The event was sponsored through Meetup's Permaculture Group. If you haven't joined Meetup you should. Simply log in and select your location and areas of interest. You will then be notified when events are planned that match your selections. It's a great way to find out what's going on in your community and to learn from other like-minded folks.

Todd Workman, one of the sponsors of the event, is leading an effort to revitalize the City of Franklin, using a permaculture approach. It's an ambitious project, within a city that has struggled economically, but if his idea takes off, Franklin could become a central New Hampshire destination worthy of attention from towns and cities across the country that have seen better days.

As an example of what's possible, the venue for the movie showing, Toad Hall has been repurposed as a gathering place for people to get together and discuss the possibilities for transforming the city into a place where people want to work, live and visit by taking advantage of the resources that already exist there, such as the Winnipesaukee River, Odell Park and a three mile multi-use trail that parallels the river. Walking into the building you know you have entered a unique space, as you move amongst the large metal art pieces in the shapes of insects, sea creatures and objects from outer space.

There was definitely a positive vibe in the room as people socialized before the showing of Inhabit.

The movie itself (see trailer on the main page of this blog) shows what is possible in agriculture and living when the goal is to improve the natural functions of the earth through practices that nourish each other, instead of just extracting what we need. Permaculture, uses the basic principles of nature to develop systems which will continue to thrive for decades, or even centuries. An example in agriculture is to grow a diverse variety of perennial plants which provide nutrients to the soil and each other so that external inputs of fertilizers and pesticides are not necessary.  It was exciting to see how individuals and organizations are incorporating these principles into their lives, from organic farming practices to composting toilets, to green edible roofs. And, it was also exciting to see such a large group of young people in New Hampshire coming to embrace these principles as well.

Insects Hibernate Too

Now that the evenings are remaining above freezing, insects are waking up after a long winter's rest. Most of us don't give much thought to what happens to bugs in the winter, we just enjoy the fact that with that first hard frost, we can be outside day or night without having to apply insect repellant.

Now that the evenings are staying above freezing, moths have returned to the porch light over the door. And, when I was hiking this past weekend, I was treated by a Compton Tortoise Shell butterfly in my path. It got me thinking about where it had been all winter.

We are all aware of the great migrations of Monarchs, but they aren't the only butterflies that migrate to warmer climates in the fall. Others include the Painted Lady and the Buckeye. But what about other insects, how do they survive the winter? Some insect life cycles are timed such that eggs are laid in the fall and then when the weather warms the following year they hatch to begin the cycle anew. Some will try and find warmer shelter, such as your house (e.g. certain flies and ladybugs). Others will dig deep underground (e.g. beetles and grubs.) In order to survive the winter, many insects are able to enter a state of hibernation with the help of built in survival tools. Many butterflies and moths will overwinter in various stages, either as eggs, larvae or in a chrysalis. And a few species are able to hibernate as adults. Among these are the Mourning Cloak and the Tortoise Shell (pictured above) which will find a spot under the bark of a tree or fallen log.  They can survive the freezing temperatures by creating a natural antifreeze, called glycerol.  These adult hibernators will be the first butterflies to emerge in early spring where they will be looking for a mate. Seeing one this early in the year is a pleasure.

More Evidence Against Neonicotinoid Pesticides

 Neonicotinoids, as its name implies is a class of chemicals resembling nicotine. One of the reasons they are so effective as a pesticide is their water solubility. When applied to soil they are readily absorbed by plants of which insect pests then come into contact. The chemicals are also applied directly to seeds. Some neonicotinoids compounds and example pesticide products are: Imidachloprid (Merit);  Clothianidin (Aloft); Dinotefuran (Chemsico); Acetamiprid (Assail) ; Thiocloprid (Calypso); and Thiamethoxam (Actara).

Imidacloprid was the first of this class of chemicals to be marketed. It was patented in the U.S. in the late 1980s and is still one of the most popular pesticides in use throughout the world. You may have seen this chemical on bags of grub killer. For years neonicotinoids were considered relatively safe to non-target insects, but more recently that claim has been called into question. The connection to bees and colony collapse disorder led the European Union to place a ban on three of these chemicals -  clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam in December, 2013. The ban is to be reviewed by the end of this year.

Within the past several years, there have been several disturbing reports regarding adverse impacts to insects, birds and aquatic biota from inadvertent exposure to these chemicals. Research conducted earlier this year at the University of Minnesota showed lethal impacts to Monarch and Painted Lady larvae when fed on milkweed treated with Imidacloprid. After a seven day exposure, the monarch larvae had a 100 percent mortality. For the Painted Lady, only a few survived. Listen at http://www.entomology.umn.edu/news-events/news/early-research-links-insecticide-monarch-butterfly-deaths. Making matters worse, a study published this month in Nature  shows that bees prefer plants containing neonicotinoids demonstrating that  appears that the neonicotinoids may have an addictive quality for pollinators similar to nicotine for humans.

The good news is that the public is taking notice, resulting in companies and municipalities proactively taking action. This month, the City of Portland, Oregon passed an ordinance to halt the use of neonicotinoids on city property. In addition to seeing massive bee die-offs due to improper application of these pesticides in Oregon, the city took action due to impacts seen to pollinators even when the pesticides are applied in accordance with the label instructions. Other cities in Washington and Oregon including Seattle and Eugene have already passed similar prohibitions. And, last year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pledged to cease applying neonicotinoid insecticides on wildlife refuges by the year 2016.     

This month, Lowes home improvement centers announced that they would phase out selling products containing neonicotinoids within the next four years. Hopefully, it will not take that long. Unfortunately, Home Depot has only vowed to label plants that they sell that have been treated with neonicotinoids. I just discovered this today, when I went to plant a couple perennials purchased from the store. As I removed one plant from its pot, this label pictured on the right fell to the ground. I think it was hidden behind the plant description. Does this look like a warning, or a marketing ploy to buy a plant that is protected against "problematic" insects? I don't want to return the plant since it would just be resold and planted, so I will instead destroy it and write a letter to the store manager stating that this is not an adequate response for addressing this very real threat to the environment. I am confident that, even without an EPA ban, consumer knowledge and preferences will result in more local prohibitions and retailers voluntarily removing these products from their shelves.

A Quest for Green Roofs in the District of Columbia

On my recent trip to Washington, D.C. I went on a quest looking for green roofs. Not metal roofs, painted green, as one person I asked directions from thought, but those sporting live plants that provide a host of environmental benefits in urban areas. The District is a strong supporter of sustainable development and has an active stormwater control program called "RiverSmart". The RiverSmart program provides financial assistance to property owners to install green infrastructure projects which will help capture rainwater on-site so that it doesn't run-off their property, carrying with it pollutants, such as fertilizer and sediment, into storm drains and surface waters. One of their projects for which they are a pioneer is RiverSmart Rooftops which supports the installation of green roofs by providing rebates of $10 -$15 per square foot. In addition to capturing rainwater, green roofs help cool buildings in the summer, as well as the surrounding air, combating the heat island effect in cities. And, green roofs, if planted with larger shrubs and trees can help capture air pollution.

Before my trip, I printed a five page list of the green roofs that have already been installed under the RiverSmart program.  Unfortunately, I quickly learned that gaining access to roof-tops is a near impossible task, especially without prior planning. If I had contacted property owners before my trip, I probably could have gained permission to have supervised access to at least a couple roof-top gardens. Never-the-less It was a fun and different way to explore the city, even if I did have to be content seeing most of the plantings from a distance.

Even if you are not consciously looking, it is not hard to spot green roofs from the street.

From public office buildings, to private apartment complexes, trees are visible by just looking up.

Although it was interesting seeing the plants from the street, I was hoping to get a closeup view of at least one rooftop. After several unsuccessful inquiries at private buildings, I went up to Capital Hill to the U.S. Supreme Court building, since according to my list they had built a green room as part of a 2008 modernization effort. I could not confirm this to be the case, but the helpful employee at the information desk did direct me to the Senate office buildings which were just a few blocks away. I started at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, 130 Constitution Avenue NE with no luck, so decided to walk to the connecting Hart Senate Office Building where my state, Senator Jeanne Shaheen's office is located. I still  could not get access to the actual roof, her office did direct me inside to the floor where a window overlooked the rooftop.

My first view out the window was not of the outdoors, but of indoor plants which offer the same benefits of purifying the air and providing inhabitants with a general sense of well-being.

Finally, I got my first close-up view of a green roof atop the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Since it was early spring it wasn't exactly "green", except for some grass sprouting along the edge.

A green roof installed as part of the RiverSmart program

If you ever go to the Library of Congress Packard Campus of National Audio Visual Conservation Center, you will see the huge investment they have made in making it a truly sustainable campus. On Capitol Hill, as well, the Library of Congress buildings along Independence Avenue are covered with ground cover and trees.

Getting to see the tress up close on top of the Library of Congress Building was not possible, but there is plenty of greenscaping visible around the building.

Elevated Gardens Along the Library of Congress Madison Building

At the House Office Buildings next door, there were several vegetative planting areas on the rooftops that were visible from inside the stairwell.

I was impressed with how the property owners of D.C. have embraced the concept of vegetative roofs; and, as I concluded my tour, I also took notice of the landscaping plants on the ground where everyone can enjoy them.

May 28, 2015 Update: Green Roofs for Health Cities ranked Washington, D.C. Number 1 as the Greenest City in North America. Toronto, which requires all new construction of a certain size and over six stories tall to have at least 20 per cent of the roof vegetated.