What could disappear from the earth?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

January 8, 2003

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

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Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Beneficial Insect Mix, Best Bush Cherry Bonanza, Blueberry & more—>Click here.

Bees are classified in the Superfamily Apoidae. According to the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, there are 7 or 8 families (depending upon the authority), forty-five genera, and at least 1000 species. Unfortunately, the uninformed consider bees a pest because of their aculei (singular, aculeus) or stingers; the uninterested do not think of bees at all. Bees are disappearing.

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is under attack from tracheal & Varroa mites.
Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera Photographic Print by Larry Jernigan
Buy Photographic Print at AllPosters.com

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is under attack from tracheal and Varroa mites. These parasites sap the bee's strength causing an early death. The mites can destroy a colony within weeks. And all bees are susceptible to the effects of pesticides misused on agricultural fields, lawns, and gardens. Although agriculture uses large amounts of these chemicals, most are wasted in lawn and garden applications when no pests are present. The chemicals enter the environment and water table.

As bees decline, pollination will decline also. Mason bees (Family Megachilidae, genus Osmia) are active even when the weather is cool and damp. Mason bees pollinate the early spring bloomers: cherries, apples, pears, cranberries, and blueberries.

Bumblebees (Family Apidae, genus Bombus)
A bumblebee visits an azalea blossom Framed Art Print
Raymond Gehman
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Bumblebees (Family Apidae, genus Bombus) pollinate borage, mints, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, asters, hollyhocks, columbines, dogwoods, azaleas, and rhododendrons to name a few. Euglossine bees (Family Apidae, genus Euglossa) pollinate the orchids of the tropics. Honeybees (Family Apidae, genus Apis) are generalists and pollinate oranges, grapefruit, hollies, cranberries, cucumbers, strawberries, almonds, apricots, mints, blackberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, azaleas, apples, and many others.

Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and okra will produce fruit without bees, but there will not be any seeds to continue the next generation of these plants. In all, at least one third of the foods we eat and most of the herbs and ornamental flowers we enjoy need bees and could disappear from the earth.

Ed and Dee Lusby are long time beekeepers concerned with the health of these important pollinators and well as the quality and safety of honey. To learn more about honeybees, honey, and beekeeping, click on the link:

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/

The BeeSource is a very interesting website both for beekeepers and those who want to learn more about the natural sweetener made from nectar. To view the homepage, click on the link:

http://www.beesource.com

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

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!

Beneficial Insect Mix

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

A Garden SWAT Team

Their mission is pest control and their reward is a full stomach! Everything you need!

For each offer ordered, get 1 square Trichogramma, 1000 eggs, 1 package ladybugs and 2000 fly parasites. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

Best Bush Cherry Bonanza

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Bite-size burst of flavor!

Cherries are an excellent choice for home gardens. The incredibly juicy, bite-size treats begin to ripen in June- earlier than other tree fruits and the frit can be used in so many ways! Many varieties are self pollination too, so you can pick a bountiful crop even if you have room for only one tree.

Save $5.15! You get 3 each of Hansen's and Nanking bush cherries.

HANSEN'S: As handsome and hardy as fruiting shrubs come! The branches are covered with pure white flowers in May, absolutely loaded with purplish-black fruit in July. Grows 4-5 feet tall and bears at an early age. Self pollinating.

NANKING: Early and extra productive! Produces sweetly scented spring flowers and tremendous crops of tasty fruit. Bears up to 8 quarts of bright red cherries, ripens in July. Grows 6-8 feet high, looks good in a hurry. Self pollinating.

Zones: 2 - 8 (-50° F.) This Item Ships In The Spring Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

Comments: Thrives almost anywhere. Usually bears the first year. Tart, tangy flavor like that of sour cherries. Holds well on the plant 2 to 3 weeks after ripening. Attracts birds and other wildlife. Heavy crops.

Fruit Trees & Nut Trees For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

Dwarf Tophat Blueberry

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Compact Plants With Full-Size Flavor

Made for patio pots! Cold hardy, compact and so attractive, it's often grown as an ornamental. Dusky blue berries are the size you find in the market--big, plump and best for baking. Round, firm, flavorful fruits are excellent fresh and keep their quality when frozen. 6-9 inch plants.

This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

Comments: Lowbush variety; primarily ornamental. Bush matures in 3-4 years. Completely covered with white, bell shaped flowers. Lasting for several weeks. Berries can be harvested for several weeks. Can be trained as Bonsai specimen.

Blueberries belong in every home garden! Not only do they produce deliciously sweet and healthful fruits, nut the 4- to 6 foot shrubs make handsome landscape plants. Once established, blueberries need little care or attention.

Small Fruit & Berries For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

Herbs, Mint Mix

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Easy to Grow, Great for Tea

Refreshing blend for flavoring candies, tea, ice cream and punch! You get 1 each:

fruity applemint
icy spearmint
cool peppermint

All grow 1-2 feet tall.

So much better than the dried and flash-frozen herbs in the supermarket!

Includes: Applemint-(Mentha suaveciens), spearmint (mentha spicata) and peppermint. Spearmint-(Mentha spicata) Peppermint-(Mentha x peperita) Easy to grow varieties. Harvest as needed. Perennial plants. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
[Herb Plants!] [Herb Seeds!]

Dogwood, Red Twig

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Noted for Its Bright Red Bark

A landscape accent for every season! Red Twig Dogwood Shrub starts spring with creamy ivory flowers, summer with red-tinted foliage and, finally, sports bright red bark in winter. Grows 5-8 feet tall. Potted plants.

Flowering shrubs are bargains in beauty. They produce a profusion of flowers and foliage- a feast for or senses- and seem equally attractive to birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Even when they’re not in bloom, many add interest to the landscape. Shrubs grow fast, last nearly forever and require a minimum care.

Creamy ivory flowers in the spring and red tinged foliage in the fall. Crimson bark is a great attraction in the winter. Prune in summer if needed. Wet site tolerant. Zones: 2 - 8 (-50° F.)
Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [All Shrubs, Hedges & Grasses!]

Strawberries, Whopper Plants

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Sweet and Delicious Berries as Big as Peaches!

Available in Limited Quantity for American Gardeners:

Sweet and Delicious Berries as Big as Peaches!

Hardy
Multiply Rapidly
Produce Prolific Crops

You'll find Whopper Strawberries easy to grow in nearly any sunny garden. Or you can plant them for their outstanding, decorative beauty in a bed alongside the house or patio, or to edge a walk or driveway. Many gardeners report they make one of the finest ground covers they've ever planted.

Whopper Strawberries are extremely hardy and disease-free. They have survived in all kinds of climates and multiply rapidly year after year.

Gurney's was the first to introduce the Whopper Strawberries to the U.S. Now gardeners everywhere can enjoy these amazing, sweet and delicious berries. Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [All Small Fruit & Berries!]