Happy Friday
Neighbor kids killed my daffodils. I'm pretty sure. Also their parents appear to have run over what was left with their car. This means I must kill the entire family and possibly eat their flesh. Or just move, and start planting daffodils and crocuses and lavender and other honey-bee-attracting plants where demon monkey spawn won't kill them.
But speaking of honey bees, have y'all heard about the honey bees and how they're dying out and everyone is real worried? Because yeah. The honey bees are dying out and everyone is real worried. Turns out one-third of our food supply is dependent on honey bee pollination, so it's kind of a problem if there are no more bees.
Haagen-Dazs has created a website all about what we can do to help the honey bees. We can learn more about them, we can not kill them, we can buy more honey and support our local honey sellers, and we can plant flowers that honey bees like, such as lavender, strawberries, jasmine, rosemary, bluebells, and sunflowers.
Also, did you know that yellow jackets aren't bees? They're wasps. The honey bees mind their business in the flowers, all gentle and fuzzy. The yellow jackets go after your soda at picnics and buzz all around the trash cans at Disneyworld, which I feel is one more reason to hate Disneyworld (after the humidity and the heat and the part where you kind of wish that maybe one of the rides would break and injure you because the ambulance and hospital are probably air-conditioned).
So anyway. Save the honey bees!
Next week: The reveal of the bookshelf redesign. Prepare to receive the dews of heaven.
I'm Steph, a librarian and mom of 3 (not sure how that happened). Let's chat books, food, Sumptuous Literary Adaptations, poop, knitting and maybe some crazy Mormon Feminism.
17 comments:
On yellow-jackets:
I remember reading that they can smell the crushed bodies of their comrades, and it enrages them. So kill 'em with something BESIDES blunt force trauma.
On honey bees:
I very recently read an article that reported scientists had finally found some evidence of the cause behind the bee disappearance. Apparently recent climate changes (I can't remember if it was global warming or pollution or what) inhibits the distance that bees can smell pollen (or the distance that pollen travels). Because they can't find food as easily, they have to work much harder.
AND Scott is an excellent person to talk to about bees. Apparently his family has been/are currently beekeepers.
Did you know that it is illegal to keep hives in SLC?
I think it's time for you to consider buying a house. I really wish someone had told me to buy a house a few years ago when I was single and employed and prices were still somewhat reasonable. Okay, maybe I couldn't have bought a house. But I definitely could have gotten a small condo.
Seriously, think about it.
Before, that's a tricky one. Because how else are you going to kill them? I supposed you could drown them, or trap them in a Tupperware container or something. But like I want to be spraying stuff all over everything at a picnic. It's a quandary.
Jenny, I did not know that. SLC gets a big thumbs down for that one.
Lilcis, you're right. I know you're right. And now, with the R-word falling house prices and everything, it's probably a fabulous time to be a first-time home buyer. But with my salary (low) and student loans (high) I'm having to back-burner that one for the moment. I do know it's the next great smart good thing, though, and I will get there. Or possibly I'll just get so sick of sharing a fridge that I'll buy something even if I CAN'T afford to.
Nem, I have been thinking a lot about this bee thing lately, actually. And that's primarily because I really, really like Haagen-Dazs and they have two new flavors featuring honey, and they are both awesome. And if there are no bees, there will be no more of this ice cream. And I actually worry more about that than having no fruits or vegetables. See how I have my priorities in order?
Maybe you could just buy your own fridge. And put an electric fence around your flowerbeds. Way cheaper than buying a house. Might scare the bees away, though.
I think the yellow jacket thing is a myth. I've never seen an enraged swarm of yellow jackets after crushing one. They just keep buzzing around annoyingly and going after your soda like they always do.
Now you made me go looking. ;)
http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/pes_yellowjackets.shtml
According to Harvard, they do have SOME chemical in them that makes other wasps mad -- but they only mention that it is released when they sting.
Snopes didn't seem to have anything. =(
Hmm... I'll have to try logging in to google to see if I can edit.
Anyway, just found this link:
http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/INSECTS/bees_and_wasps.htm
In the "Wasps and Outdoor Activities During Late Summer and Fall" section:
"If you crush them they will give off an alarm scent that will attract others wasps."
But I don't know if they're an authoritative source.
In any case, they give me the heebie jeebies. :)
Thanks, before! I checked Snopes too and was disappointed that they didn't have anything. This site also says that they release a chemical when crushed that prompts others to attack, but I'm still somewhat skeptical just because I've never seen it happen, despite all the dire warnings I've heard.
Of course, it goes without saying that it's best to try not to make stinging insects mad (especially if you're allergic like me). Oh, and they totally give me the heebie-jeebies too.
You should've threatened your white trash neighbors with police brutality when you had the chance. Or installed a hidden camera to record their crimes. Now you are going to have to resort to egging their car and house. Eggs are especially effective because the protein in the egg ruins the paint job and is almost impossible to wash off, making it much faster, cheaper, easier, and more permanent than toilet papering or other methods of revenge. Wear gloves to prevent leaving fingerprints. Purchase your eggs from an out of town grocer or organic egg growing friend. When I come visit I can show you how it's done.
Please forgive coolmom's violent tendencies. I think it is the the lioness protecing her cubs syndrome.
Whee! We're officially beekeepers as of today! And that handy website lets you make your own bee to e-mail to friends. Cool and dippy at the same time -- just my style. Go Bees!
Someone called in to KSL-AM's Garden show on Saturday to ask about this and the hosts said there is some super virus killing off the bees. To get rid of wasps they suggested getting a wasp trap and putting a fish-based cat food in it as a lure.
Once I saw a bumble bee larger than my thumb. It was in Venezuela. I hope to see a bee that large again one day, only I hope not to have to visit Caracas to do it.
First of all, I like your blog.
Secondly, I like your style (I wrote about the bee plague in February of last year and am in total agreement).
Thirdly, I really like your mom. She sounds like my kinda lady - I have the same protective tendencies myself.
Saurkraut (sorry, can't figure out how to do the heart), thanks for dropping in! I really like the bit of your blog that I've seen, so I'll be heading back over. :-) Thanks as well for sending compliments to my mother. I shall pass them on!
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