Where do bees nest

This week I read about a new bee-related discovery in the New York Times that surprised me: thousands of years ago, during the late Quartenary period, a group of bees made their nests inside of animal bones. For these bees, tiny cavities in bird and mammal skeletons provided protected spaces where they could raise their young. This story perfectly illustrates one of the defining characteristics of bees: they are extraordinarily resourceful!

When we think about bees, we usually think of European honey bees.… Continue reading this article “Where do bees nest”

Super El Niños and the recent drought across the US

In the last month, I have received many questions about media stories describing the potential for a “Super El Niño” as well as questions about the drought that has plagued many parts of the United States this spring. They have both been getting a lot of attention in social media as well as the mainstream press and you have likely seen stories about them. In this post I will describe both phenomena and how they may affect gardeners in different parts of the country.… Continue reading this article “Super El Niños and the recent drought across the US”

People and Plants

In this edition of P&P we’ll explore the travels and adventures of Ynés Mexía, a late-blooming botanist.
Ynés Enriquetta Julietta Mexía was born May 24, 1870, in Washington, D.C., to Enrique Mexia, a Mexican diplomat, and Sarah Wilmer Mexía. Between birth and when she began her botanizing at the age of 50 she moved around a lot living in Texas, Pennsylvania, Canada, Maryland, and Mexico. She finally settled in San Francisco, California about 1909 where she became involved with several nature conservation organizations and was a strong advocate for saving redwood trees which were being heavily harvested for timber in the early 1900s.… Continue reading this article “People and Plants”

The worm that is screwing over livestock (New World Screwworm)

The New World screwworm is an insect that feeds on living flesh and it is making headlines this year as federal agencies race to battle it.

What exactly is a screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax)? Despite the name, screwworm is not a worm at all. This insect is a blue-green blow fly native to the Americas. Adult flies themselves are not the problem. The danger begins when females lay eggs in open wounds, cuts, or even mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals.… Continue reading this article “The worm that is screwing over livestock (New World Screwworm)”

How the weather affects gardeners’ health

In this blog, I usually talk about how the weather affects gardens and plants, but today I am going to change the focus and talk about how the weather affects gardeners. By now, many of you in the Southern US and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere are starting to see spring leaves and flowers appear and are busy working outdoors in your gardens planting new crops and flowers or getting the soil ready to take the seedlings.… Continue reading this article “How the weather affects gardeners’ health”

“Frightful weather”—Snow, ice, and the polar vortex

Have you noticed that this winter has been full of ups and downs in temperature, with warmth and drought in some areas and impactful winter storms in others? The western United States has been mostly warmer and drier than normal with little precipitation except in the highest peaks, and even then, it has been scarce. The eastern United States has been hit by several significant winter precipitation events and a crippling freeze that reached down into central Florida.… Continue reading this article ““Frightful weather”—Snow, ice, and the polar vortex”

The march of the seasons

 Everyone has their favorite season. Mine is spring, because of the pop of early flowers, the hundreds of shades of green that appear as bushes and trees leaf out, and the warmer temperatures that come with the march towards summer. Winter is my least favorite because of the lack of color after the deciduous trees drop their leaves, leaving stark black branches against white clouds or snow.  I admit I don’t like the cold either! Most of us talk about the seasons a lot, but what are they really?… Continue reading this article “The march of the seasons”

Goodbye to another weather year–2025 in review

How did your garden fare this year? No matter how it grew, at least some of the impact was due to this year’s weather, although careful soil preparation and a good watering plan can fend off some of the worst effects. As usual, my last blog post of the year will be a brief review of this year’s climate and a look ahead to next year. Gardeners must prepare as well as dream! My review will focus heavily on the United States, but I will try to put in a little for our non-US readers too.… Continue reading this article “Goodbye to another weather year–2025 in review”

Syrphid flies have immense pest control vaue

by Hamutahl Cohen

Recently an avocado grower in Fillmore sent me a photo of a wrinkled maggot-like larvae, followed by a large question mark. It looked just like a syrphid fly, what we commonly call a hoverfly or flower fly. But this fly maggot was a bright, colorful orange, not the green syrphid larvae I am accustomed to seeing. After consulting with my colleagues, I learned that syrphids actually come in a dramatic range of colors and shapes.… Continue reading this article “Syrphid flies have immense pest control vaue”

Weather forecasting for gardeners and how social media misuses those predictions

If you spend much time on social media, you have probably seen screaming headlines on Facebook, Twitter, or elsewhere about impending extreme weather. In the last few weeks I have seen wild stories about a late-season tropical storm forming in the Caribbean and an Arctic outbreak and snowstorm heading through the eastern US all the way to the Gulf. Neither of these had any real chance of occurrence but the people who post them are looking for clicks and attention.… Continue reading this article “Weather forecasting for gardeners and how social media misuses those predictions”