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Master Gardener Update

July 2019

In this Issue Bees, Wasps, Flies Which Bees Sting and Which Don’t RPMGA: Tour Rotary Gardens Notices Rotary: Home Garden Tour Hummingbird Walk 30th Anniversary Celebration Other Items of Interest Volunteer Opportunities Education Calendar

Pollinator Project

Differences Between Bees, Wasps and Flies

We’ve printed information about bees month after month, but haven’t said much at all about their hairless relatives – wasps and flies, so this month we’re going to give you a brief primer on the facts. Bees and wasps are members of the same order of insects – Hymenoptera. Historic and scientific evidence shows bees evolved from wasps. There are many similarities between the two groups of insects. Superficially they look a lot alike, but key features make them easy to differentiate:

First - wasps tend to have more extensive and more

obvious coloration and patterns.

Next - wasps are less hairy than bees. The hairs they do have are just a

single filament – quite different from the branched hairs of bees.

Last - wasps never carry pollen. They drink nectar for energy, eat many

kinds of fruit and eat prey animals like larvae and other insects, but they

don’t collect pollen.

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Figure 1 - Honey Bee

Figure 2 - Wasp.

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Websites

UW Extension Rock County: rock.uwex.edu MGV Hours Reporting: wimastergardener.org/ report-your-hours/

RPMGA Blog: rpmga.blogspot.com RPMGA on Facebook: Hit control/click on this link: RPMGA on Facebook Rotary Gardens: rotarybotanicalgardens. org

Wisconsin Master Gardener Program: wimastergardener.org

Wisconsin Master Gardener Association (WIMGA): wimga.org

Next let’s examine the difference between bees and flies. Some flies are colorful mimics of bees and wasps. It is thought in some cases this gives protection from predators. In other cases it allows them to sneak into bee nests to lay eggs. Here is how to tell the bees

from the flies:

Perhaps the most notable difference is – flies have only two

wings. Bees and wasps have four.

Flies are generally less hairy than bees.

Flies usually have large eyes near the front of their heads that

may often nearly meet at the top. The eyes of bees are on the sides

of their heads.

Flies antennae are shorter than bees, often sturdy with a single

protruding bristle.

They don’t harvest and carry pollen – however markings on

their sides can mimic pollen masses.

Wasps and flies are considered to be inefficient pollinators because they don’t have sufficient hair on their bodies to gather and carry pollen. Pollen may occasionally cling to their bodies and be transferred to other plants when feeding, however their contribution as pollinators is insignificant.

Mary Kay Thompson Source: Bees of North America – The Xerces Society Photos: Public Domain

Fun Bee Fact: The endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee has been officially named the state bee of Minnesota, drawing attention to the plight of pollinators and encouraging citizens to get involved in conservation efforts.

Figure 3 - Syrphid fly.

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Which Bees Sting and Which Don’t? A great many people are wary of bees because they fear being stung, but the truth is bees are far more interested in going about the business of foraging for pollen and nectar than they are in stinging human beings. Only in rare cases will a bee sting without being seriously provoked - and many species of bee don't sting at all.

Honeybees Honeybees (females) are equipped with a stinger which they will use to defend their stores of honey or their queen. They will also, of course, attempt to use their stinger if they think they are being threatened by humans – particularly humans standing or sitting near them. The honeybee worker’s stinger is barbed, so when it stings a human the stinger remains under the skin. When the bee attempts to fly away her intestines are literally pulled out. Unless you can remove the stinger without damaging it the bee is destined to die. Honeybee queens can sting repeatedly, but they spend almost their entire lives inside a hive making the odds that you will ever encounter, much less be stung by one, fairly remote. Honeybee colonies can have somewhat variable temperaments, from extremely docile to highly defensive. This is all about genetics: certain crosses can be hard to handle, even by experienced beekeepers. The good news is honeybees almost never sting anyone who is not close to their nest or hive, so don't worry about being stung while gardening or walking through a field. (You are less likely to be stung when honeybees are swarming than at any other time.) NOTE: Only female honeybees can sting. Male honeybees have no stinger.

Bumblebees Bumblebees are not naturally aggressive. It takes a lot to provoke them. They will only sting if their nest is threatened or if you squeeze them, sit on them, or stand on them.

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Figure 4 - A honeybee doomed to die.

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If they do feel threatened they will perform a unique display to signal their displeasure. They do this by raising one of their middle legs in the air. When you back away, they will relax and put their leg back down - but if you go closer (and if they are unhappy about it) they will lift another leg in the air. If you go even closer - they will lift two legs up vertically in the air and turn onto their backs to show you their stinger! This is called 'posturing' but very rarely leads to them actually stinging you. If bumblebees do ever sting, their sting has no barb like the honeybee, so they do not die afterwards. Like honeybees, female bumblebees have stingers and males do not. You can identify the males of some species quite easily by their pale yellow facial hair and little yellow moustaches. Male bumblebees are in much less of a hurry than the females when foraging and have thin hairy legs. Females have a wide shiny, smooth, flattened corbicula on their back legs and are often carrying pollen. If you feel particularly brave, you may want to gently touch bumblebees when you happen upon them in your flower garden. You can also carefully pick them up when you find them in unsafe conditions

like on pavements and roads and move them to safer places. I’ve done this and have never been stung. Solitary bees There are over 4,000 species of solitary bee in the US alone, and at least 20,000 species worldwide! It is extremely rare for anyone to be stung by one of these bees. Since solitary bees have no honey stores to protect, nature has not provided them with a strong defensive weapon like the honeybees’. The females are equipped with tiny stingers but rarely, if ever, use them. You would literally have to harm them to provoke them to sting - and even then, the stinger on most solitary bees is so insignificant it cannot even pierce human skin. Since there has been a recent increase in people putting up solitary bee nesting boxes (sometimes known as bee hotels) in home pollinator gardens and/or public places, it is worth mentioning these. The bees that use these habitats are mostly solitary mason or solitary leafcutter bees. Although it is not unheard of for one of these bees to sting, it is highly unlikely unless you are regularly handling them. As with the other varieties named above, none of the male solitary bees have stingers. NOTE: If you have reason to believe you are allergic to bee venom you should carry an epinephrine auto-injector (the most commonly known is the Epipen) with you at all times. Some doctors recommend you carry two. Sources: UWEX Fact Sheet G4001 Supporting Native Bees – Our essential pollinators (Click on link to visit fact sheet) The Xerces Society Guide – Attracting Native Pollinators (Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies) Mayo Clinic – Patient Care and Health Information - Bee Sting (Click on link to visit website)

Figure 5 - Bombus posturing.

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Rotary Botanical Gardens

RPMGA Event: A Special Tour of Our Own Rotary Botanical Gardens Thursday, July 11, 9:30 a.m. RPMGA’s July program may challenge your assumption that you know Rotary Gardens well. Come join MGV Art Hilker, who regularly leads tours at Rotary, and bring your own knowledge of the gardens to share. Here’s what Art has to say about this tour: “We'll plan to spend approximately two hours-wrapping up no later than noon. While I plan to lead the tour, I will be asking the group to share any information they feel that the rest of us could benefit from. That may pertain to plants, a particular garden or historical info pertaining to RBG. We will try to do that and still get done by noon. Our tour will include:

The remarkable history of RBG Eyebrow raising factoids Hardscape/physical characteristics of the gardens Horticultural content/characteristics of the gardens Therapeutic aspects of the gardens

I have arranged for Ken Connor, another RBG guide to drive the cart. He will drive alongside the group enabling me to concentrate on the tour itself. There is room for 5 passengers. If more than that would appreciate riding, perhaps there could be a bit of alternating passengers.” Should be a memorable outing! Note: If you are a Rotary Gardens member, please bring your membership card. This will speed up the check-in process. All who visit the gardens are issued wrist bands. Fee: None. RPMGA will cover the cost. Date/Time: Thursday, July 11, 2019; 9:30 a.m. Meeting Place: Parker Education Center (the main public entrance)

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Save the Date: Thursday, August 8, RPMGA Tour of the Display Gardens at the Dane County UW Extension Office in Madison If you’ve ever been to the UWEX office in Dane County, you know their MGVs maintain extensive display gardens on the property. Some highlight specific types of plants, others feature different gardening techniques. There are annuals, perennials, vegetables, a color-wheel garden, and much, much more. Lots to see without a lot of walking. This tour will be led by Dane County Horticulture Educator Lisa John-son, starting at 10 a.m. Any who want can also go over to Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and maybe stop for lunch. Watch the next newsletter for details on where and when to meet if you want to car pool from Janesville.

Meet New Horticulture Outreach Specialist, Julie Hill We’re in the process of setting up a day and time when we can have a “meet and greet” with our new horticulture educator, Julie Hill. She’s looking forward to getting to know Rock County Master Gardener Volunteers, and we’ll have the chance to find out more about Julie’s background and her priorities for the MG program here. We’d also like to use that time to talk about a couple of proposals and get your input. Watch your in-box for the time and place!

Start Logging Your Hours Online The Online Reporting System is open for business! You can begin entering your 2019 MGV hours now and continue adding as you volunteer through the summer and fall. You’ll have an easy time when the reporting year ends on Sep-tember 30 if you start now. Go to www.wimastergardener.org/report-your-hours/ If you have questions or need help,

contact Bev Feltz at pengnix@yahoo.com.

Rotary Gardens Event: Home Garden Tour, Saturday, July 13: “One Day, Nine Gardens, Endless Inspiration!” This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Home Garden Tour, with eight home gardens, plus Rotary Gardens itself. This is your chance to stop and see some of the gardens you might pass on any day, and think, “That’s so beautiful.” You can talk to the owners and volunteer docents, see things in detail and learn more about how and why each garden works. The tour runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. You can buy tickets in advance for $10 at Rotary Gardens or K&W Greenery, or for $12 on July 13 at any of the gardens on the tour. You can start at any location, at any time during the day, and go in any order, but you’ll need the ticket booklet to gain entry at each tour stop. Tickets are required for anyone 14 and older. This year’s hosts include:

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Jim & Carol Schmeling – 2510 Galahad Way

Tammy Tanck – 1806 Mole Ave

Mary Watson – 1618 Mole Ave

Carmen Vitello & Charles Ziehn – 136 S. Garfield Ave

Wendell Peterson – 139 S. Randall Ave

Genie Gottula – 141 Hillside Ct

Jeffery & Doreen Slowey – 110-112 Valley Drive

SSM Health/St. Mary’s Hospital – 3400 E. Racine St

Rotary Botanical Gardens – 1455 Palmer Drive

Guided Walk: Hummingbirds in the Garden, Sunday July 14 from 3-4 p.m.

Do you love hummingbirds? Join us at Rotary Gardens on Sunday, July 14 from 3-4 p.m. for a guided walk with members of Bird City Janesville. There’s no charge for the walk beyond garden admission and no registration re-quired. This is your chance to enjoy and learn more about these tiny gems!

30th Anniversary Garden Party, Saturday, July 20, 5-9 p.m.

Come help us celebrate 30 years as Janesville’s public garden while we honor our founder, our vol-unteers and our reason for being: you! We’ll have local food stations, live music, beer, wine and cocktails, a garden walk, children’s activities and much more. As new details become available, they’ll be posted on our website: rotarybotanicalgardens.org

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Other Items of Interest

2019 Master Composter Training: A Master Composter workshop will be held this fall to provide training for anyone who wishes to teach others about home composting, including backyard composting and vermicomposting. The two-part training will take place at the Dane County Extension office in Madison on Monday evenings, October 28 and November 4, 2019. There’s a discount if you register before October 21, 2019. You can register now or find more information at https://2019mastercomposterstraining.eventbrite.com. For questions, contact Mindy Habecker: Habecker@countyofdane.com, 608-224-3718.

Re-Greening After a Flood: Even if your own property wasn’t flooded with all the rain this spring, you may get questions from others about how they can help their yard and garden recover after being inundated. Our friends south of the Wisconsin border researched that question and put together a publication with excellent advice on safety, mitigating damage and helping get lawns, trees and shrubs, gardens and pots back into top shape for this summer and beyond. It’s interesting reading, and can be found at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw/downloads/79794.pdf

More on Pollinators Victory Gardens for Bees Author Lori Wiedenhammer covers all the essentials in this 2016 publication: Why pollinators are in trouble, a who’s who of bees, how to plant a garden that will be a bee sanctuary, and which plants to stock it with. She also includes ten different garden plans that offer food for thought and a number of DIY projects for bee hotels and other essential pollinator paraphernalia. Well worth either a quick look or a thorough read! (Available at Hedberg Public Library.) Add Flowers to Your Lawn The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and University of Minnesota Extension have published a pamphlet titled Bee Lawns, Turf Grass with Flowering Plants. Download or read a copy at https://www.beelab.umn.edu/sites/beelab.umn.edu/files/bee-lawns-2018-mg.pdf Research Update: What Are We Learning About Jumping Worms The first confirmed siting of jumping worms in Wisconsin occurred at the UW Arboretum in 2013. Since then, the Arboretum has been deeply involved in research on this pest. Their new report indicates that the worms can now be found throughout Wisconsin, though populations remain highest in the Madison and Milwaukee areas. Read more of the details at https://arboretum.wisc.edu/news/arboretum-news/research-update-what-are-we-learning-about-jumping-worms/

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Volunteer Opportunities Try something new this month! Rotary Gardens Weekday Volunteering Join the regular weekday volunteers—the Grumpies and Grumpettes—to help out on Mondays or Thursdays from 8 a.m. till noon. There’s always a long to-do list! For questions, contact Laura Peterson at 608-314-8415. Volunteer Work Day on the Prairie Welty Environmental Center in Big Hill Park, Sunday, July 7, 10 a.m. to noon. Join Welty and its prairie partners, Rock County Conservationists and Green-Rock Audubon, for a morning of prairie restoration. They are tackling growing season weeds, brush and brambles. Bring your own hand tools, gloves, safety glasses and hard-toed shoes. New volunteers must sign a City of Beloit waiver, available on site that day. Rotary’s Home Garden Tour This year’s version of the annual garden extravaganza will take place on Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. If you want to be a garden docent or help with tickets and directing foot traffic, send an email to: volunteer@rotarygardens.org Each home featured on the tour needs people in both the morning and the afternoon. You can work either shift or both. Geneva Lake Conservancy Pollinator Hike and Prairie Walk at White River County Park – Tour guides needed for Saturday, July 27, 9 am – 1 pm (lunch will be provided to volunteers). This is actually a two-part tour. First, noted gardener Kathleen Renowden of Delavan Lake welcomes people to a tour of her pollinator garden in full bloom. The event continues at White River County Park, where volunteers will lead people through part of the 100-acre prairie restoration currently being planted in this newest Walworth County park. There will be a training tour before the event on a separate day....the organizer has some dates in mind and Julie Hill will help coordinate this with anyone that might be interested. If you wish to volunteer, email Julie: julie.hill@wisc.edu

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July Education Calendar For details on any of these education opportunities, search the web using the program title and/or organization name.

UWA = UW Arboretum, Madison; RPMGA = Rock Prairie Master Gardener Association, Janesville; OBG = Olbrich Botanical Garden, Madison; UWSP = UW Stevens Point; RBG = Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville; UWW = Univ. of WI-Whitewater in Whitewater; WEC = Welty Environmental Center, Beloit; UIEX = Univ. of Ill. Extension, McHenry County, Woodstock, IL; WHPS = WI Hardy Plant Society, Madison; NATC = Nature at the Confluence, South Beloit, IL; GLC = Geneva Lake Conservancy, Fontana, WI; NCG = Nicholas Conservatory Garden, Rockford, IL; JUFA & BC = Janesville Urban Forest Alliance and Basics Coop, Janesville.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4

Independence Day 5 6

7 A Prairie Birthday Walk UWA/ Garden Excursion Walk UWA

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11 Tour Rotary Gardens RPMGA/ Garden Alter-natives to Lawns OBG/Wetland Plant ID and Sampling Techniques UWSP

12 Home Garden Tour OBG/

13 Home Garden Tour RBG/Prairie and Nature Preserve Tour UWW/Home Garden Tour OBG

14 Hummingbirds in the Garden Walk RBG/Prairies and Savannahs on the Grady Tract UWA/ Grazing with the Goats WEC

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16 Our Newest Invader: The Jumping Worm UIEX/Summer Flowers with Flavor OBG/ Middleton Garden Tour WHPS

17 Fantastic Ferns OBG/Plants for Pollinators UWA/ Bus Trip to Chicago Botanic Garden WHPS

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19 Fireflies NATC & WEC

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21 Curtis Prairie Walk UWA

22 Garden Photo-graphy for Beginners 1 RBG

23 Epic Systems Grounds Tour with Jeff Epping WHPS

24 A Garden Stroll with Dr. Death OBG

25 Prairie Plant ID and Sampling Techniques UWSP

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27 Pollinator Hike and Prairie Walk GLC/ Sinnissippi Plant (House Plant ) Swap NCG

28 Greene Prairie and Grady Knolls Walk UWA

29 Garden Photo-graphy for Beginners 2 RBG

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31 5-day Bus Trip to Gardens in Michigan WHPS/ Regular Shade Tree Maintenance JUFA & BC

Blooming Butterflies Exhibit daily at OBG 7/18 thru 8/11

Looking Ahead to August

The following events occur early in August, but require registration in July.

Time for Tea Tasting and Walk, Olbrich Botanical Garden, Madison, Thursday, August 1, 9-10:30 a.m. or 6:30 to 8 p.m. Registration deadline: July 25.

Native Prairie and Nature Preserve Tour, Univ. of WI-Whitewater, Whitewater campus, Thursday, August 1, 6-7 p.m. Registration deadline: July 31.

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

Mailing Address: UW-Extension Rock County, 51 S. Main Street, Janesville, WI 53545

Physical Address: 3506 North Highway 51, Building A, Janesville, WI 53545 Phone: 608-757-5066 Fax: 608-757-5055