My inbox is swarming (pun intended) with events, news articles, and scientific studies about bees and butterflies. It seems that with all things “environmental”, the information comes at us at an increasingly fast pace. And I’m playing catch up a bit. It is my hope that here at The Buzz, we’ll continue to promote good science and good stewardship. I’ve got an interesting post coming up soon about the monarch butterfly and efforts around conserving that species in Illinois. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few announcements and items of interest that have made their way across my desk.
As we head into planting season here in IL, keep in mind good product stewardship. That includes :
- Reading the label : just a reminder that the label is the LAW. Read the label for every product, for every application. Products and warnings change all the time, so make sure you are up to date with the latest label guidance for all of your products.
- Communication : communicate with your neighbors that raise bees or specialty crops. You can find those neighbors by visiting DriftWatch (now called FieldWatch).
- Awareness : check wind speed and direction before applying products to your fields. Document those numbers in your farm records when you do fieldwork.
Interested in raising bees? IL Extension will host a “Backyard Beekeepers” workshop on Saturday, April 15th in Bloomington. Topics include local issues, the state of bee research (presented by Dr. May Berenbaum), bee stings, and bee plants. Register by April 12th, at this link.
If you are interested in creating pollinator habitat on your farm, I recommend subscribing to the Nebraska Pheasants Forever YouTube Channel by going here and clicking on the red button that says “subscribe”. You’ll get an email when there are new videos for viewing. Pete Berthelsen, Director of Habitat Partnerships for Nebraska PF, offers his Habitat Tips video series, which include fireside chats about habitat planning and great outdoor lessons on weeds and what to expect from your habitat.
That’s all for now. Enjoy these rainy days and get your rest while you still can!
Lyndsey
The Buzz 