Ladybugs: Our Best Defense for Aphids!

I found this little lady on a blade of grass while I was checking my native bee block yesterday and jumped for joy to see that the defenders of my garden flowers are out in force!  Seeing this ladybug reminded me that it is aphid season and sure enough, I found an abundance of aphids on the tender buds of my old-fashioned roses, 'Victorian Memory', 'William Baffin', 'Golden Wings' and 'Gertrude Jekyll'.  Happily, I found a ladybug or a ladybug larva on every rose too. It is so satisfying to know that all I really have to do is wait patiently for the predator to come to the prey in my organic garden.  So, excuse me now while I go outside and take a deep "nose-full" of some softly fragrant roses and sip some refreshing lemonade while the ladybugs work on my aphid infestation for me!

Here is a link to brand names of insecticides from the neonicotinoid class that you REALLY want to avoid:      
Help The Honey Bees

Neonicotinoids in Oregon  Here is good reason to tell your local tree or lawn care company about these insecticides.

Rosa 'Victorian Memory'

It's Pollinator Week!

What are pollinators and why should you care?

• Pollinators are bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other animals which feed from flowers, transferring pollen in the process
• Approximately ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE BITES  of food you eat depends on the work of a pollinating animal
• Many blooming plants depend on pollinators for survival! (excerpt from NAPPC material)

June 17th - 29th is National Pollinator Week established by the US Senate six years ago to address the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations.  Check out Pollinator Partnership for more information on National Pollinator Week.

For events closer to home, the Denver Botanical Gardens has a wonderful schedule of events for all ages, check out Pollinator Week at DBG.   

On Saturday, June 22nd from 10:00-2:00 stop by one of the following garden centers to chat with beekeepers for ideas on creating your own pollinator habitat;  The Flower Bin in Longmont, Jax in Lafayette, McGuckin Hardware, Harlequin Gardens and Sturtz and Copeland.

JOIN THE POLLINATOR CELEBRATION!

Create Your Own Pollinator Habitat!

A big THANKS to all for making the garden tour so successful yesterday!  It was great to meet so many kindred spirits.  Many of you had questions about bees and beekeeping. We hope you enjoyed the demo hive and were inspired to take action and support the pollinators in your gardens and neighborhoods. Looking out at the garden this morning I saw 5 beautiful dragonflies leisurely circling (and eating mosquitos I hope!). In swooped a large bright yellow butterfly gliding among the many bees busily working on collecting nectar and pollen for their hives. I am happy to know that the plants in my garden are attracting and supporting these beautiful garden insects.

Check out this link to a wonderful brochure put together by Beth Conrey, President of the Colorado State Beekeepers Association (www.coloradobeekeepers.org).  We handed out copies of this at the tour yesterday and it is filled with super helpful information and plant lists for creating your own pollinator habitats.

Happy Planting!

click on:
Save The Pollinators! Brochure

Welcome to the BeeChicas blog!

We are a group of passionate BEEKEEPERS committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise to promote bees and all native pollinators. The decline of bee colonies has been in the news for several years. Many articles have been written about a variety of issues that contribute to the alarming number of honeybee deaths. While there is no single solution, there are some SIMPLE STEPS everyone can take to help support honeybees and all native pollinators. We will be posting ideas and recommendations. Check back with us often and check in if you have questions...we're here to help!