BarrytheBee - Exploring the Ozarks' Native Plants and Pollinators
Visiting some Goldenrod
A few days ago a special visitor arrived in the mail. Barry the Bee! He has come all the way from Wisconsin, through Michigan, to visit us here in Missouri. He wants us to promote pollinators. So what did Barry do when he was here? He visited some native wildflowers that grow alongside the road to our home. Here are some photos of our adventure!
Looking down the road
At least 450 species of native bees live in Missouri.
Barry checking out some more Tall Goldenrod
Other animals and insects that we depend on for pollination are various species of butterflies, moths, ants, spiders, beetles, flies and bats!
The Bear helping Barry to see the White Heath Asters growing in this disturbed area along the road.
Plant native flowers! Native wildflower gardens require less watering and less soil amendments, so less maintenance. They also tolerate extremes in weather better.
Barry said the asters looked delicious.
In Missouri, some good flower species to start off with are grayheaded coneflower, golden Alexanders, leadplant, and purple prairie clover. These seem to attract a wider diversity of bees.
Barry and some Sweet Everlasting
Good Missouri native shrubs to plant are false wild indigo and wild plum.
Barry took a rest on some soft moss that also grows along the road.
Examples of plants that depend on bees to pollinate them are the bean family, the daisy family, the rose family, gentains, and more!
The Bear and Barry
So go native! Plant species of flowers that already grow in your area and you will have beautiful fields of flowers that are nutritionally sound for your bees and other pollinators. Plus you'll be feeding wildlife! Did you know blueberries, plums, serviceberries, buck thorns and ground cherries all depend on bees for pollination? They are also eaten by birds and other wildlife. We all depend on bees! Save the bees!
For more information about BarrytheBee, check out @kiaraantonoviche's post here.
All photos by @hethur240 using a Samsung WB1100F camera.
I wondered where he went! Great photos and info!
Very cool! That @kiaraantonoviche is always thinking up some great stuff!
<3
This is awesome! Looks like Barry had fun! Looking forward to seeing where he goes next!
What an awesome idea @kiaraantonoviche! What a cute and informative way to get an important message across. You are so creative :)
Nice post with Barry @hethur240!
Thanks, @kiaraantonoviche! My daughter and I had a lot of fun with him. I'll be sending him out Monday to his next adventure.
Such a cool post. I enjoyed Barry the Bee's tour with bear, looking forward to the next one!🐓
Thank you, @mother2chicks. He is on his way to North Carolina. I will be sure to resteem his next post.
What a journey is #BarrytheBee having. I'm not sure why I missed this post, so commenting on it 2 days late. @OriginalWorks
No worries! I'm glad you're seeing it now and thanks for the originalworks vote!
A very clever post with nice photos and information! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, @violetmed!
I'm headed out today to try bee lining - following wild bees back from their foraging areas to find their nests. It seemed to work pretty well the last time. Hopefully I can get some good pictures together to make a post on it.
I'm a beekeeper, so my goal is to find survivor colonies of wild bees and propagate them by housing their swarms.
That's really neat! I've heard of people tossing something like flour on a bee so they could follow it. Will you be doing something similar? Or does that hurt the bee?
If you get enough bees using the feeder station you can follow them well enough without putting anything on them. I spend most of Saturday establishing one bee line, but the hive was pretty far from my location, so I didn't make too much progress.
Darn. I hope it was at least a beautiful day. I'm going to follow you so I can keep up with your bee lining projects!
It was a beautiful day and I got to spend it sitting in the sunshine watching bees. That's pretty good.
Cute pictures!! What a cool idea, sending your steem props around! I like your helper!!
I was really excited to receive Barry. He leaves Monday to join another homesteader in North Carolina!
Great post @hethur240 LOVE bees and am amazed at the work they do. They need people doing the marketing for them :)
They do. They also need people to stop killing them. That would be beneficial!
I'm thinking that I'll do a post on our bee motel @hethur240 That'll add to your work as well. :)
I love the trip Barry goes on and glad he had Bear with him. Looks like you all had a great day. Look forward to more BarrytheBee.
Thanks so much, @abbijulie!