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What queen only rules for one year?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

September 25, 2002

Killer Savings: Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Lavender, Country Coneflower Collection & more—>Click here.

Worldwide, there are three hundred species of bumblebees (genus: Bombus), fifty are native to North America. In many areas, bumblebees are the only bees. Cool climates due to latitude or altitude preclude hairless bees that cannot maintain body warmth. Lost of habitat, pesticide use, and Varroa mites threaten the populations of these vital pollinators.

Different species of bumblebees have different tongue lengths ranging from six millimeters to almost twenty. It is presumed the bumblebee's tongue length determines what flower the bee visits for nectar. In eastern N.A., it appears

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Dahlia, genus Dahlia, Bumblebee, genus Bombus Donald Higgs Buy this Giclee at AllPosters.com

"...there were usually four species of bumblebee in any one habitat as a result of interspecific (between species) competition...one long-tongued...one with a medium-length tongue and one short-tongued...the fourth one fitting into another part of the season." (M. Proctor, P. Yeo, and A. Lack, The Natural History of Pollination, 1996)

But bumblebees do not allow flower shape to dissuade them. They will split narrow tubular flowers like red sage (Salvia coccinea) to get at the nectar (personal observations). These tattered flowers still produced seeds.

Bumblebees are social. In spring, a mated queen emerges from hibernation and seeks a suitable nest site in the ground. The queen constructs a cup of wax which she fills with nectar.

The queen collects and builds a mound of pollen. She lays several eggs on the pollen and covers it with a dome of wax. She sustains herself from the nectar cup while her first brood hatches and develops. These daughters assist in raising the succeeding broods of bees.

Near the end of the season, the queen lays eggs which will become the next generation of queens. The final eggs she lays are unfertilized—the drones which mate with the queens. When the drones and virgin queens leave for their nuptial flight, the queen and her sisters die.

The Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University has a great photograph of a bumblebee pollinating a watermelon flower taken by James H. Cane with the USDA. To view the photograph, click on the link:

http://www.loganbeelab.usu.edu/beegall/Files/Bombusimpatiens.htm

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading:

What flower moves when touched? Renfield's Garden - August 14, 2002
What is a hover fly? Renfield's Garden - October 15, 2003
How do sweet peas pollinate? Renfield's Garden - January 15, 2003
What's wrong with the modern honeybee? Renfield's Garden - June 5, 2002

Killer Savings Links:

Breck's Bulbs -$25 off—>Click here.

Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.

Michigan Bulb -$20 off—>Click here.

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you.  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Lavender, Pink Fragrant Springhill Nursery®
		Unusual pink form of the ever-popular perennials produces wonderfully fragrant, 8” flower spikes for weeks in midsummer. Pink Lavenders are ideal for borders, herb gardens, even a low hedge. Handsome, silvery green foliage is also fragrant. Grows 15"-18" and plant 12-18” apart. Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid. Lavandula angustifolia 'Rosea' Zone 5 to 8  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!  [All Perennials!]
Very versatile plant, can be grown in numerous situations like a rock garden, herb garden, for edging in a border, or as a low hedge. The leaves and flower heads are often used in sachets or potpourri. Unusual color for lavender. If grown for drying, cut the flowerheads before they fully open.  [More Fragrant Plants!]
		Lavender, Purple Fragrant Springhill Nursery® Indispensable perennial for every garden! Fragrant Purple Lavender forms neat, 18-24” mounds with delicate lavender bloom spikes and silvery-green leaves. Blooms midsummer to fall, loves hot conditions. Dry the flowers to enjoy indoors, year around! Plant 12-18” apart in well-drained soil. Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Lavendaula angustifolia  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery! [More Fragrant Plants!]  [All Perennials!]
		Climbing Shell Plant Springhill Nursery® A favorite of Thomas Jefferson! Fast-growing, twining vine attracts butterflies with fragrant flowers from mid-summer into fall. The 2" blooms have upper petals that contort and bend backwards, with the elongated keel coiled in 4 or 5 spirals like a snail's shell. Climbing Shell Plants can even be grown in containers indoors and out. Grows 20-25' tall and spreads 2-3'. Space 5-6' apart. Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.
An outstanding and exotic looking, fast growing vine that produces masses of fragrant flowers carried in bold clusters around strong 6" - 8" stems. The large, spiraling flowers are extremely attractive and create an on-going display all summer long. The flowers show up especially well set against the handsome mid-green foliage. This rare and unusual vine is ideal grown over a fence, trellis or arbor and can be used over lattice work to create shade for a deck or patio. It can even be grown in containers over a support. The most out-standing and floriferous member of this family. Totally unique! Vigna caracalla Zone 9 to 10  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery! [More Fragrant Plants!]  [All Perennials!]
		Mango Meadowbrite Coneflower Springhill Nursery® Another Color breakthrough and a stunning complement to Orange Meadowbrite! Fragrant, golden-yellow blooms have a subtle orange highlight down the center of each lance-shaped petal. Flowers continuously from mid to late summer. Easy to grow in borders, open woodlands and meadows. Grows 24-36" tall with a similar spread. PPAF Shipped in 3" pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Exciting new color for Echinacea. A sport of Orange Meadowbrite. Golden yellow with a tinge of orange down each petal. Nice compliment to pink or white coneflowers. Free-flowering versatile perennial can be grown in a number of areas. Open woodlands, meadows, foundation plantings. Echinacea 'Mango Meadowbrite'  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery! [More Fragrant Plants!]  [All Perennials!]
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Now Breck's brings you five truly outstanding varieties in our new Country Coneflower Collection. With their profuse blooms and vivid gold, black, white and pink colours, they are sure to add just the right touch of soothing beauty to your summer garden. Capture this old-fashioned charm now and save 65% while our supplies last! Get 3 each of 5 varieties with Breck's Country Coneflower Collection: MAGNUS CONEFLOWER - Lovely coneflower features a scarlet to bronze, raised, central cone surrounded by wide, lilac-pink petals. Beautiful massed at the back of a border or showcased by itself. Seeds attract flocks of goldfinches! Grows 3-4' tall. Spread: 18-24" Flower Size: 4" WHITE SWAN CONEFLOWER - Beautiful white coneflower! Bears a profusion of large daisylike flowers with reflexing petals and stunning gold cones at the centre. Use both the flowers and decorative seed pods in arrangements. Grows 3-4' tall. Spread: 18-24" Flower Size: 4" DOUBLE DECKER CONEFLOWER - Double your pleasure with these most unusual coneflowers! Bright pink petals surround the base of the showy centre cones and cap the top in the second year. A conversation piece in borders and bouquets! Grows 36-40" tall. Spread: 18-24" Flower Size: 3-4" GREEN WIZARD CONEFLOWER - For those who appreciate the unique! Luminescent black cones are ringed with gold, creating a very striking effect. Blooms for up to 12 weeks, attracting butterflies all the while. Grows 3 feet tall. Spreads: 15-18" Flower Size: 3-5" GOLDSTURM RUDBECKIA - The Perennial Plant Association's 1999 Plant of the Year. Large blooms with glistening black centres and golden, raylike petals 1-2" long. Densely packed blooms form a lush carpet. Grows 18-30" tall. Spread: 18-24" Flower Size: 2 ½" across 15 prime-quality potted plants!  Click here - Free $25 off any order of $50 or more at Brecks Bulbs
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