The BUZZ: Indian Summer
As Autumn rolls around again we stop to reflect at a point in the year when the days are starting to get shorter, the air brisker, the nights a little longer. Sunflowers and other garden plants that have been working hard to blossom this year may still have a few weeks or months of blossom time, depending on where you live. So, if you still have blooms, don’t forget to pick a day for your observation and send in your data. We still need more observations this season to make our next map bigger, better and more accurate.
Some of your sunflowers are producing a bumper crop of seeds this year. Seeds are beautiful and also delicious.. not just for us, but for some of our furry and feathered friends. Here in California, we sometimes see flocks of green parrots who have gone feral. They are voracious, especially around sunflowers. Lucie S sent in this photo of her noisy feathered visitors.
parrots on sunflowers
Some of you have let me know how bothersome these animals have been, and we are always looking for suggestions on how to curb their fun so that we can also enjoy our flowers and seeds. If any of you have strategies that have worked for you, please let us know. Just send your suggestions in to savebees@gmail.com and we’ll share them with other newsletter readers.
I would also like to say “Thank You” to all of you who have sent in observations this month. You’re making a difference in the lives of bees and the people who enjoy them. So if you can make another observation this year, please do so. We're looking forward to collecting better data year after year in all seasons.
Happy Autumn!
Freddy B