Posts Tagged ‘national pollinator week’

Jun
27

Bee-lieve it or Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Birds,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Endangered,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Swap Shop,Tropical Bird House

Blue Faced Honeyeater Photo courtesy of: www.plantbiology.siu.edu

Honeyeaters are important pollinators of many Australian flowering plants.  All 170 species of honeyeaters have a unique adaptation:  a long tongue with a brush-like tip that they use to get nectar from flowers.  The tongue can be extended into the nectar about 10 times per second!

Honeyeaters aren’t the only birds that help pollinate.  Honeycreepers, sunbirds, Brush-tongued parrots, and hummingbirds are just a few of the birds all over the world who are pollinators.  There are 2,000 bird species globally that feed on nectar, the insects, and the spiders associated with nectar bearing flowers. 

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join the Houston Zoo in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Bee sure to  record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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Jun
26

Bee-lieve it of Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Endangered,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Swap Shop,Tropical Bird House

Bumblebee on Lantana

In the U.S., the economic value of pollination services provided by native insects (mostly bees) is estimated at $3 billion each year.  Bumblebees are highly efficient in pollinating many crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cranberries, and blue berries.  Yumm!  Best of all, most bumblebees won’t bother you unless you bother them.  When gardening at home, please consider using native plants.  Most of all, be kind to pollinators, consider going organic.  Insecticides tend to kill indiscriminately and will eliminate a lot of your pollinators.  The larger the variety of wildlife in your yard or garden (insects, birds, toads, lizards, etc.) the less “pest” insects you will have.  Naturally!

For more information on creating a native garden, visit: http://www.xerces.org/pollinators-south-central-region/

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join the Houston Zoo in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Bee sure to  record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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Jun
25

Bee-lieve it or Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Birds,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Endangered,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Swap Shop,Tropical Bird House

 

Photo taken by Beatriz Moisset

Wait!  Don’t squash that bug!

Beetles get a bad wrap due to “messy pollination”.  No one ever taught them not to dedicate where they eat giving them the name “mess and soil pollinators”.  Due to sheer numbers, beetles comprise of the largest set of pollinating animals.  They are responsible for pollinating 88% of the 240,000 flowering plants globally!  So next time you stop to smell a Magnolia, think of your beetle friends!

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join the Houston Zoo in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Bee sure to  record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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Jun
22

Bee-lieve it or Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Swap Shop,Tropical Bird House

Male Leafcutter Bee

A fairly common bee in the Houston area is the leafcutter bee.  These bees are smaller than honeybees, grey and black, and a little bit fuzzy.  It’s easy to spot a female because the bright yellow pollen she collects from flowers is carried underneath her abdomen, not on her legs.  Leafcutter bees use leaves from various plants, such as roses, to help seal their nest chambers (this keeps the larvae protected while they grow).  If you notice semicircular patches missing from individual leaves in your garden, you probably have leafcutter bees around – but don’t worry, they don’t take much.  You can even build a bee house to attract these and other kinds of fascinating bees:  http://www.xerces.org/fact-sheets/

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join us in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Don’t forget to record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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Jun
21

Bee-lieve it or Not…

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Conservation,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Swap Shop,Tropical Bird House

Halictid Bee

You may be familiar with our country’s most widely utilized pollinator, the European honeybee… but did you know there are about 4,000 species of bee that are native to the United States?  Compare that number to the 5,000+ species of mammal in the entire world.

You can find about 200 bee species right here in Houston!  They are not aggressive and are great fun to watch – if you plant a pollinator friendly garden you might attract these little beauties to your own backyard!

 You can even build a bee house to attract these and other kinds of fascinating bees:  http://www.xerces.org/fact-sheets/

For more Bee-lieve it or Not facts, come join us in celebrating National Polinator Week on June 26th and 27th. We will have tables and chats from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. all about our favorite pollinators.  Bee sure to  record your pollinating adventures in a nature blog to share at the Swap Shop!

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Jun
19

National Pollinator Week!

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Tropical Bird House

 

What is a reptile doing on a pollination page?  Well, normally we think of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds as the major pollinators of the world, but did you know….

- There are 37 different species of lizards known to pollinate plants

- The seed production of agave plants (where tequila comes from) drops to one-three thousandth of normal when bats are not around to cross pollinate them

- On the island of Madagascar, black and white ruffed lemurs are the main pollinators of Traveler’s trees or Traveler’s palm

Come join us on June 26th and 27th to learn more about the pollinators around the world.  Meet-the-Keeper chats will be throughout the zoo to answer any and all questions about the pollinators you can see right here at the Houston Zoo!  Stop by and check out the tables supporting conservation efforts and activities throughout the zoo.

For more information on pollinators go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/unusual.shtml

For more information on Day Geckos check out www.nbii.gov. Photo taken by Dennis Hansen

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