Flower child

Apples, avocados, cucumbers, onions, almonds, cranberries - what do they share in common? Besides the fact that they are examples of popular, everyday foods, they also share another theme: their production, as well as the production of several other foods, depends on pollination from bees. Logic says that without the presence of bees, agriculture would be intensely impacted. Yet, this very issue has begun to occur. In 2006, it was first reported that large numbers of seemingly healthy bees…

Ronnie Estes Rocky Mountain Flora March 31, 2015 Milkweed Description Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, is a biennial to perennial herb in the family Asclepiadaceae. This forb usually has a solitary, simple stem, 0.5-1.8 meters (1.5-6 feet) tall, though clumps of multiple stems may be found. Milkweed may also be rhizomatous through the growing season. This may be evident with stems being at different life stages throughout the summer. The leaves are opposite, ovate, and 5-25 centimeters (2-10…

transects were studied to look for visiting pollinators at the flowers during each of the 30 minute periods. There were four 30 minute periods beginning at 0900, 1200, 1500 and 1800. During the start of each period an observer would walk for 2 and half minutes down each transect and recorded any of visitors on the study plants. This process was then repeated five more times (Barthell, 2001, 1872). The same plants used for the flower monitoring were used to analyze seed set effects. To do this…

Closure in Lycidas What is the right response to death? How and to what extent should we mourn the ones we love? When John Milton's college friend, Edward King, drowned off of the Welsh coast 1, Milton wrote Lycidas in memoriam. A pastoral elegy, the poem represents King as the lost shepherd Lycidas and uses agricultural imagery to portray loss. The majority of the poem is spent highlighting the irrevocability and completeness of death, that is until lines 165-168: "Weep no more, woeful…

Flowers beautify the world and bring joy to those in it. Some people become inspired by flowers and write, sing, and talk about them. All of the literature that comes from flowers evokes many different emotions and touches on many different topics. Sometimes the writings can stem from sadness, enjoyment, forgiveness, or jealousy. Many of the greats of literature have written about flowers and used them to explore topics and themes that others may not touch upon. The poems “Asphodel, That Greeny…

Why Honey Bees Affect Agriculture You may see a bee buzzing by, landing on a flower and not even think of the huge effect they have on ‘the world’ around us. Today, I will be talking about how and why honey bees affect Agriculture. The first reason is that honey bees are a big part of pollination everywhere around the world. Providing pollen to farmers' crops and other wild plants. The second reason is that honey bees make honey. Providing food for us and other animals. For example Bears.…

Today, I decided to take a walk through to Crotona Park, which is located in the South Bronx. New York City obtained the property from Andrew Bathgates as part of the partnership of the Bronx Park department in 1888. It was known as “Bathgate Woods.” The park was already popular for its scenic view, which includes its trees and its pond. There was a debate when it came to naming Crotona Park. The city planned to name the park Bathgates. A disagreement with the family made a Parks Department…

Prelude Maintenance of robust wildlife communities is valued by many Americans as a central aspect of national pride and cultural heritage. What is less recognized is the role healthy ecosystems play in the health and sustenance of human populations. When wildlife or a piece of a wildlife system directly benefits human well-being it is referred to as an ecosystem service. Decline in bee populations worldwide is putting humankind at risk of damaging it’s most imperative ecosystem service: animal…

There are things that people may need to be cautious of before deciding to keep bees, but there are benefits to consider as well. Sue Hubbell author of A Book of Bees writes, “Everyone should have two or three hives of bees. Bees are easier to keep than a dog or a cat. They are more interesting than gerbils” (qtd. in Bishop pp. 1). Holley Bishop says that beekeeping seemed so great to her because she liked how “low-maintenance” it was and that the bees “did the farming for you and didn’t need…

Bees are beautiful insects that do great service for our environment. They help pollinate flowers and plants to create an area full of rich biodiversity. The world depends on them so much because they are responsible for one-third of all fruit and vegetable production. But what would happen to the world’s food production if they all just disappeared? Colony collapse disorder or (CCD) is the case that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind the queen.…