"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Thursday, May 19, 2011

BUGS??



My friend Doris at Crocheting In Georgia first introduced me to the subject of bees and I have been listening and learning about just how important bees are. Sandra at Madsnapper had pictures of one in her garden. She found out it was a black carpenter bee - the kind that eats wood! None the less -

Bees are incredibly important for gardens and gardens are important for us! Our Channel Two News had an article about it and here it is below:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27868140/detail.html

Since 2006 our bees are dying at 30% a year. Why and what effect will it have on us? One reason is for the misuse of pesticides - not illegal use, but misuse.

We Need Bees to Pollinate Our Gardens:
http://www.organic-food-for-everyone.com/disappearing-bees.html

"Farming organically - without the use of pesticides - and planning your farm or garden with the goal of attracting bees is key to solving the problem of disappearing bees.

There is also a concern that cell phones and cell phone transmissions are hurting bees. To-date this concern, raised by environmentalists and a number of scientists, is still unproven.

Nevertheless, when planting your garden or your crops or orchards try to find out where the wireless technology systems are set up in your area and, if at all possible, try to arrange your plantings appropriately.

What is proven is that the weakened bees colonies (weakened through urbanization and large industrial farming practices, including heavy use of pesticides and intensive farming policies) are an easy target for the Varroa mite - a tiny Asian mite that sucks the juices out of European honeybees, crippling and then wiping out entire colonies.

Weakened bees are also an easy target for the Tracheal mite; a mite that lives in the breathing tubes of adult honey bees where they feed on bee blood. These mites attack all types of bees. Researchers are saying that these mites have helped reduce bee numbers by nearly 30 percent over the last 25 years.

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Okay have you heard about the stink bug?

"Stink bugs, the smelly scourge of the mid-Atlantic, are hitch-hiking and gliding their way across the country. Officially known as the brown marmorated stink bug, sightings of the pest have been reported in 33 states, an increase of eight states since last fall." . . .

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And the epidemic of bed bugs?

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And don't get me started on palmetto bugs as we call them down here in the south!

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What do you think about bugs? YUCK!

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Today's Quote:
If you want to be happy for a year, plant a garden; If you want to be happy for life, plant a tree.-English Proverb

Okay then if that is true - you'll need some bugs - right? There is a positive side to every thing!
x_5c59c1d

30 comments:

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I HATE STINKBUGS!

I like bees though. And honey. And I have a really awesome honey cake recipe. Yum. I should make that soon.

MadSnapper said...

we must be in a cell phone free zone since our yard has more bees than i like, the one tree actually hums so loud it scares me, there are hundreds of bees on it, on every flower and if i put the bedroom window up i can hear them humming. every flower in the yard has bees, several different ones, and WASP are everywhere. i love honey but not bees and i do know we need them.

Patti said...

This was a very interesting post, Sandie. I have never really given much thought to bees, but now that you mention it, I realize that I don't see all that many of them nowadays. When I was growing up, bees were a constant problem. There were hives in several trees in our yard and in our brick wall (between the bricks). Now, though, I almost rarely see any, and that must be because their population is diminishing.

Of course, all of us that know anything about pollination know that without bees, we won't have the flowers and trees we so love. So, even if they are a nuisance, they are a necessary nuisance.

The bugs I hate the most are cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies.

Have a great day.

Love,
Patti

Remington said...

I don't like ticks....they are icky bugs! I think I will go and plant a tree....

Kim said...

I am not a fan of bugs - any bug. And this whole thing about bed bugs now.......totally freaks me out. The thought of travelling and staying in a hotel gives me shivers.

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

I see that we need bees, when they were missing. I have no problem with bees, but Spiders???

Susan said...

Hi Sandie...Thanks for your "buzzing" post! hee hee I don't like it when bees buzz around my head. I scream. Same goes for spiders and catapillars. The worst are cockroaches. Now THOSE I really scream at. Haven't seen any since our return from the southwest (thank GOD). Actually, I do not like bugs. Love honey though. ha ha Susan

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Well that certainly has me itching.

Unlike wasps (urgh) I quite like bumble bees. As for stinkbugs, this is the first time I have heard of them.

flowers on my table said...

Oh I rather like bees, but don't like wasps! Interesting post. I just popped over from Southams Darling to congratulate you on your award. Love Linda x

Kymberly Foster Seabolt said...

You had me at "blogging without obligation ..."

Fun blog! Looking forward to following you for more!

Terry said...

Howdy Sandie
Love it !!!!!!!!!
My yard is filled with several kinds of Bees and assorted bugs that appear as the host plant they enjoy appears in my yard .
I am so glad to be back at home today and start taking care of my yard again .
I think this post has become one of my all time favorites :)
I have So much to learn about Gods Creations like bugs :)
Thanks grilfriend for making learning so much fun .
Big hugs from Texas
Until next time
Happy Trails

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Sandie, I had heard about the bee problem --due to cellphones... In fact, my comment on Sandra's blog on bees. Scary ---what is happening to our world due to all of this technology...

I hate bugs--most all of them. I know that some of them are 'good bugs'--but that still doesn't make me LIKE them... ha

I remember those old Palmetto Bugs--when I lived in FL and Texas. YUK...

Don't want any stink bugs here either... Ladybugs are bad enough. Have you ever killed a Ladybug?? They smell awful.
Hugs,
Betsy

Beansieleigh said...

I really don't like most of them! The only bugs I DO actually like are ladybugs and butterflies, and I think that's about IT. Until reading Betsy's comment, though, I never knew they SMELLED! Oh dear... Well, I have to admit I like honey in my tea, so as long as they're not buzzing around my face, or in my soda can, then I think I can tolerate them.. even wish them well!... Have a great weekend! ~tina

Anonymous said...

I love all bugs,even stinkers.
Wait,let me write that again,I love all bugs EXCEPT palmetto(red)bugs,they terrorize me,If I go on walk about down to the creek with Mr and even lean up on a tree they jump me, and sneak up and around and then it's on like
'donkey-kong', terrorize me for days.
~Jo
LazyonLoblolly

Journeyin' Lady... said...

Now that was a unique Blog - you think of the best subjects for your Blog!

Southhamsdarling said...

Bugs I do NOT like, Chatty!! I'm quite happy with bees though and I have lots of plants in the garden to attract them. Those Stink Bugs sound pretty horrible! Ugh!! Very interesting post my friend.

Ann said...

Other than for photographic purposes I do not care for bugs. They simply bug me :) I know some are good and necessary so I'll tolerate them as long as they don't invade my personal space

Love Of Quilts said...

There is always a positive side to every thing. I don't personaly know what it would be to have the
palmetto bugs around. I had to look this bug up never heard of it. I haven't seen one either that I know of. Way bigger then the roaches I ever seen. Trish

Kimberly Krey said...

My dad always made sure we had a great appreciation for bees. Which I do. The rest I could do without. :)

Liz Mays said...

I can not STAND earwigs. Nothing is worse to me than those wretched things!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

I loathe stink bugs! Bees OK...those giant "palmetto" bugs NO THANK YOU, Sister!...:)JP

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post, I like bees but bugs I don't know...

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Love Bees and they are fascinating creatures and they give us honey! Bugs, ick, not my favorite!

betty said...

I did hear that about the bees; I hope they can figure out what is going on with them so we need those little bees to help pollinate our food! I'm okay with bugs, I know some people are deadly afraid of spiders. I tend to not like creepy crawly things like lizards or snakes or fast moving things like mice :)

have a good weekend!

betty

Donna B. said...

YUCK is right!! I am allergic to bees... don't forget cockroaches! GROSS!!!! Very interesting post though. Lots of research, as usual.

Tanna said...

I hope since there is a big surge of interest in organic farming and local foods on menus that the bees have better sources of survival... don't know what about their mite problem! We need some bugs. That's all I know. blessings ~ tanna

Debbie said...

Bugs are one of the few things ought there that don't bother me. I don't LIKE them, but I don't get all grossed out either. We keep a monthly extermination contract nonetheless.

We had a problem with the carpenter bees a few years ago. I thought it was going to drive my husband to the nut house.

Interesting about the cell phone towers. Did you know that modern farms are installing remote control-like cell towers to control their tractors? My brother-in-law just installed one. That doesn't sound so good for the bees now that I read this.

LADY JANE said...

I don't mind bees...IF they leave me alone and just work to pollenate my garden! I am VERY allergic to stings! Ever heard of Carpenter Bees? They have taken over our neighborhood the last few years and are doing some nasty drilling to my carport...they say these bees do not sting...BUT...their buzzing and "bumping" into wood could make a girl run for the hive! Now though after reading your post I'm thinking a harmless carpenter bee is better than a stinkbug...or OMG...a bedbug...no way! We always used to say Night ...night...sleep tight...don't let the bedbugs bite! NOW I'm changing it I think to...NightNight...this ain't right I fell asleep with a stinker bug last night! And Hmmm...lol...I was thinking that perhaps there may be a message here Sandie...a lovely post about BUGS right after a post about de-cluttering...interesting if I msay say! LOL

DaCraftyLady said...

although i am not fond of bugs in general, I do see the necessity of them. They can be useful and as part of some food chains very necessary. But keep them off me!!! loved reading about the different kinds and their pluses and minuses...Debb

Sharon said...

I've heard about the thing with the bees. It kinda scares me - what are we doing with nature??

Don't like bed bugs or stink bugs. Really hate stinky bed bugs...

What do I think about bugs - (it's too easy to say they bug me...) So, I'll just say that I don't like their stinging, biting, crawling, buzzing, creepy ways.

:)