Texas Wildlife Association presents....
February 2014 Kid’s Quarterly Mini-Mag! Vol. 8 No. 1
Postcards from Nancy....By Cara Bierschwale
What’s the Buzz, TWA? In the midst of businesses and traffic of Southwest Austin lies When we learn about wildflowers, it helps to know that they a colorful sanctuary of flowers and plants. I am at the Lady play important roles in nature in addition to adding beauty to Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, a place dedicated to the study, the land. Wildflowers help conserve water, provide habitat preservation, and presentation of our state’s native plants and for birds and insects, and protect the soil. Many species are wildflowers. This interactive Center displays gardens to introduce considered very valuable for attracting large numbers of visitors to the diversity of Texas flora and offers educational and pollinators, like bees and butterflies, so that they can reproduce artistic activities for youth and adults. Earlier today, I participated and grow every year.” in the “Wildflower Hunt” and chose a wildflower to closely “Bees? I thought that their main job was to make honey,” observe and describe its characteristics. I replied. “Are you saying that if we What I learned, however, was much more Photo by Rita Mae Frey didn’t have bees, we wouldn’t have than its size, smell, and color! wildflowers?” As I studied a group of pink evening Ms. Claudia said, “In a way, that is primroses growing along the side of a correct. There is a very special relationship trail, I couldn’t help but wonder how between wildflowers and pollinators, such these flowers ended up here and what as bees. In order for flowering plants to makes them so special. I have seen these produce fruit and seeds, they need bees and other wonderful wildflowers, like to pollinate them. Some species of bees bluebonnets, begin to bloom all around use flower pollen to make and store Texas this time each year in fields and honey for food, and some others cut out along highways and hillsides, but wanted to learn more about pieces of plant parts to build their nests. In other words, the their purpose. When I was a young ‘dillo, I actually thought flowers need the bees and the bees need the flowers.” there was someone who sprinkled wildflower seeds all over the After I thanked Ms. Claudia for her helpful information, I state just to make it pretty for springtime! walked around the gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower I walked around the Center until I found a volunteer Center and took a closer look at the many wonderful species naturalist (someone who studies nature) who was helping of native plants and flowers they showcase. With others with the hunt. Her name was Ms. Claudia and when she all of the traveling I do, I can’t imagine was finished talking to another wildflower hunter, I asked her Texas without the vibrant blues, reds, why wildflowers are so important that this entire Center would pinks, yellows, or whites which dot the be devoted to them. She smiled and started singing the old landscape. I guess we have bees to tune, “Let me tell you ‘bout the birds and the bees, and the thank for that! flowers and the trees…” Bee Seeing You Soon. Realizing that her singing took me by surprise, she laughed and said, “Well, you’re probably too young to know that song. Nancy Nine-band
Attention Teachers: Critter Connections is made Free class sets available while they last! possible by a grant from the Send your name, school name, San Antonio Livestock grade taught, and mailing address to Exposition. [email protected]. You may also download all issues for free at http:// www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/critter- connections-magazine. Join TWA Today! S ! Last year, we provided programming for over 62,000 youth across the state through Distance Learning, Discovery Trunks, Enrichment Modules, Wildlife by Design¸ Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.), and Texas Brigades. Contact us to find out how we may help you incorporate wildlife and natural resources into your classroom! Most programs are free for teachers. For information on our educational programs, please contact us at 800-TEX-WILD (800-839-9453). Joining TWA is optional. Each membership helps support TWA programs but it is not required to participate in our programs.
Membership Levels:
____ Life Member $2,400 ____ President’s Council $1,000 ____ Corporate $635 ____ Patron $375 ____ Family $230 ____ Active $145 ____ Associate $50 ____ Student $20 ____ Youth $12 ____ Online $35 (ages 17-22) (ages 16 & under) All members receive a one year subscription to our monthly magazine, Texas Wildlife. Build a Bee House By Cara Bierschwale (Adapted from http://beependent.wordpress.com) Solitary bees make up 90% of our native bee populations and include mason, carpenter, digger, and sweat bees. Though they live alone, individuals usually nest close to others and are less likely to be defensive unless the nest is threatened. The female bee makes holes in old wood, or finds a place in open pipes or outdoor furniture. There she puts a mixture of pollen and nectar in each hole, lays an egg on top, and closes the holes. In a week or two, the eggs hatch and the tiny larvae eat the food. Because solitary bees are very important pollinators of our plants and crops, building a bee house will encourage their presence and provide for them a safe nesting place. With an adult, perform the following steps to create a bee house that you can place in your yard or school garden. Materials: -Container (Milk carton, coffee can, oatmeal canister) -Sturdy paper (Catalogue or magazine pages, cardstock, construction paper) -Scissors -Heavy string or twine -Marker -Tape -Low-toxic paint (optional) Procedure: 1. Prepare the container. Make sure it is clean and empty. With scissors, open one side (cut out one wall of the milk carton, or simply remove the lid of the coffee can or oatmeal canister). 2. As an option, paint the outside of your container a bright, bee-attracting color and allow it to dry. 3. Make the nesting tubes. Cut strips of paper the length needed to fit inside of the container. Wrap each strip snuggly around the marker and tape it in place. Carefully slide the paper tube off of the marker and tape one end closed. 4. Place each nesting tube horizontally inside of the container. Make as many nesting tubes as you will need to fill your bee house. 5. Hang or place your bee house at eye-level in an area that is sheltered from the rain or strong wind. moistened clay available nearby. tube holes in a block of wood in order to create your own bee house. 2 puzzles.....mazes.....oh my! go ahead.....give it a try!
Honey Fact Bee Bank: Puzzle created by Cara Bierschwale ABDOMEN HIVE QUEEN Directions: Find and circle each word from the Bee Bank. ANTENNAE HONEYCOMB SOCIAL When done, place the unused letters from the puzzle onto BEE KEYSTONE SOLITARY the blanks below to reveal a fun fact about honey. BUZZ MEMBRANOUS STINGER WFDOEXRWCMNKERN COLONY NECTAR THORAX EINRAVOTEUEEAOE DRONE POLLEN WILDFLOWER HEXAGONAL POLLINATOR WORKER RILRORIMESCYNTE HOODKNBHNETSNAU YHHEFRESASATENQ TBREALENOUROTIS EDTNOSOOOLTNNLH ESOZZUBWORI EALE TUCOLONYEHRTOOA
word searches...... SNEMODBATRSAAPN BDQUHONEYCOMBRI E ST I NGE R E TCOUGY E SOC I AL POL L ENH I NGFHEXAGONAL I TS Honey bees and comb by Grady Allen ------, ------. Answer Key on page 6. Don’t Get Stung! Adapted from Honey Bee Info at Lubbock.tamu.edu Typically, bees will not attempt to sting while in the process of looking for food. All bees have the potential to sting, however, when they feel threatened or when their hives or nests are disturbed. It is important to know what causes a stinging incident (especially by Africanized Honey Bees), how you and your family can prevent being victims of a sting, and what to do if you are stung. Read the following phrases to determine whether each describes a cause of a stinging incident, how to prevent being stung, or an action to take if a stinging incident or swarm occurs. On the line next to each phrase, write the letter C (cause), P (prevention), or A (action). Answer Key on page 6.
1. _____ Loud noises and vibrations from heavy equipment, lawnmowers, or vehicles 2. _____ Repair dripping leaks in and around your yard. 3. _____ Exit the area immediately and alert others. 4. _____ Periodically look around your home and yard for signs and sounds of bee colonies. 5. _____ Attraction to hair, dark colors, new mown grass, citrus-smelling candles, and perfume 6. _____ Cover your head and pull your shirt over your face. 7. _____ Fill cracks in the house, plug holes in open pipes and swing sets, and discard used tires. 8. _____ Cover chimney openings and keep shed doors closed. 9. _____ Remove the stinger as quickly as possible by scraping it out. 10. _____ Playing near or touching a hive Honey bee swarm by Grady Allen
3 corner
they also have a narrow waist and 2 antennae. Females have 6 abdominal segments (the “bee stripes” you see) and males have 7 segments. Stiff hairs are also arranged along the legs or underside for Beneficial capturing and holding pollen grains. Only female bees have stingers which are used to defend themselves. In the process of stinging, a small amount of venom is injected into the victim and can cause a range of effects from pain Bees and local swelling to severe injury or death in serious cases. Unlike a c scorpion’s stinger, which is easy to see at the end of its body, the bee’s stinger is hidden away by folding scales. If the bee decides to attack, the scales open up and the stinger slides out. Tiny barbs on the stinger help to work it into to the victim’s body and the poison flows along a hollow in the center of the stinger. Have you ever heard that bees will die after they sting? Due to the tiny barbs on the stingers, this is true mainly for honey bees. It takes a r while for bumble bees to pull their stingers out, but honey bees often cannot pull them out at all because their barbs are larger and stick tightly to the victim. When the honey bee tries to fly away, its stinger is torn off and the bee eventually dies.
Bee Breeds There are around 4,000 native bee i Photo by Rita Mae Frey species in the U.S. which inhabit nearly all ecosystem regions (except the high mountains) and come in many different ByBC Cara BiBierschwale h l sizes, shapes, and colors. Of the 700 documented bee species originating from Can you imagine fields and roadsides without wildflowers? How about Texas, we are familiar with 9 species of a grocery store without a produce section? In order for nature to produce bumble bees, as well as carpenter bees, t flowers, which in turn produce fruits and seeds, pollinators are needed to assist cuckoo bees, digger bees, leaf-cutter in the reproductive cycles of those flowering plants. Pollination is useful not bees, long-horned bees, mason bees, only for the plants, however. The process is considered mutually beneficial mining bees, squash bees, sunflower bees to pollinators as well, as some of them feed on the flower’s pollen and sweet and sweat bees, just to name a few. nectar, some seek out hiding places among leaves, and some lay their eggs The honey bee is actually non-native Carpenter bees by Rita Mae Frey directly on the flower. Thus, plants and pollinators share a close relationship and the first colonies were brought to and are examples of symbiotic organisms. this country by early European settlers. t Thanks to some of the most important and advanced insect pollinators on In addition, the similar-looking hybrid Earth – bees – we can continue to enjoy all plants and our favorite fresh foods. Africanized Honey Bee (“killer bee”) Worldwide, bees play a tremendous role in pollination and are considered developed when African bees, introduced a keystone species which are important to the health and ecology of an to South America in the 1950’s, mated with area. The growinggg and farming g of most of the fruits and vegetables in our the honey bees. Contrary to exaggerated Bumble bee in a poppy ggardens and stores – broccoli, watermelon, belief, killer bees do not hunt for people or flower by Rita Mae Frey cacauliflower, coconut, papaya, squash, animals to attack. They do, however, have e cacarrots, strawberries, apples, and many the impulse to sting when threatened (10 mmore – rely on pollination by bees. In times that of a regular honey bee!) and rrecente years, however, bee numbers have their attacks last longer and involve more bbeen reduced greatly by environmental bees. Sweat bee by Grady Allen aand human impacts. In order to restore bbee populations everywhere, many Bee Business ppeople are learning more about the bees’ Not all species of bees are social insects which live in waxy hives r nneeds, behaviors, and how to save these and large colonies. The majority of Texas bee species (around 90%) is kkeye workers. solitary, meaning that they live and raise their young alone in a variety of nests. For example, female leaf-cutter bees slice semicircular pieces Bee Basics out of leaves and stock them with pollen and eggs inside of a hollow All bees have 6 legs, 2 pairs of membranous (thin and transparent) wings, plant stem. Carpenter bees build nest burrows in dead trees and old and a body made up of a head, thorax, and abdomen. Like ants and wasps, timber by chewing their way into the wood with powerful jaws. Mining bees build their nests in underground tunnels. One species which nests and raises its young very differently is the cuckoo bee. Because they closely resemble bumble bees, cuckoo bees search out the nests of bumble bees and force their way inside to lay its eggs for the bumble bee workers to watch over. Only bumble bees and honey bees are social and live in colonies with many others of their own kind. The honey bee nest is a vertical array of wax combs (made from the bees’ internal wax glands) divided into six-sided (hexagonal) cells for rearing the young and storing pollen and honey. Bumble bees may live under old buildings, in old mattresses and car cushions, or in nests made of grass and beeswax. In a social colony, every individual has a purpose and a job. A queen bee only mates and lays the eggs. Male bees, called drones, only mate with the queen. The female bees, or worker bees, fulfill the majority of the roles needed to support the hive. They spend their time mending and cleaning the honeycomb, Beekeeper removing hives guarding the hive, locating nectar sources and communicating their from wall by Grady Allen find to others by “dancing,” and feeding the queen and drones. Mature workers leave the hive to collect the nectar and pollen in the “pollen baskets” on their legs. Honey bees use their special honey-making stomachs to create honey to feed the colony. Bee Back-Up Honey bees, which are commonly used to pollinate crops, have declined dramatically in recent yyears. Scientists call this mysterious drop in both native and honey bee numbers “Colony Collapse Disorder” Queen bee near the middle by Grady Allen and continue to research reasons for the decline. Hive destruction, parasites, disease, pesticides, and stress from hive movement remain some of the possible causes. Because both managed and native bees are the most economical way to pollinate large croplands, there will be a great negative impact on our current food sources if bee colonies continue to collapse without relief. Because of this concern, the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences provides recommendations and incentives for the study of bee populations and ways to promote the growth and sustainability of pollinators. Some include encouraging Bumble bee in flight by Rita Mae Frey public land managers and private landowners to adopt “pollinator-friendly” practices, such as creating pollinator gardens, avoiding pesticides, providing sources of water or mud, planting a variety of native flowering plants, providing nesting habitats, and building bee houses. Sources: Buchmann, Ph.D., Stephen and Beatriz Moisset, Ph.D. Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees. A USDA Forest Service and Pollinator Partnership Publication, March 2011. http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/ documents/BeeBasics.pdf Burnie, David. The Kingfisher Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Kingfisher Publications, 2000. Burnie, David and Don E. Wilson. Animal. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2001. Houck, Marilyn. Africanized Bee Information for the Southern High Plains: Honey Bee Information. Texas A&M Agrilife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock. November 2013. http://lubbock.tamu.edu/files/2011/11/ HoneyBeeInfo.Houck_.pdf Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Keep Texas Wild Teacher Resources: What’s the Buzzzzz? TPW Magazine, April 2009. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/resources/keeptexaswild/bees/background.phtml Did you …when in flight, the bees’ 2 pairs of wings are joined by tiny ‘hooks’ so that they can beat together? know... …in the United States, honeybees alone pollinate over $10 billion worth of food crops each year? …bees can fly at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour? …it is estimated that 1 out of every 100 people are allergic to bee stings? …bees have 5 eyes - 2 compound and 3 simple? …the average honey bee forager makes about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime?
Bumble bee with long tongue by
Honey bee by Grady Allen Rita Mae Frey Don’t Get Stung! Answer Key: 1.C, 2.P, 3.A, 4.P, 5.C, 6.A, 7.P, 8.P, 9.A, 10.C 9.A, 8.P, 7.P, 6.A, 5.C, 4.P, 3.A, 2.P, 1.C, Key: Answer Stung! Get Don’t
Color Me fits. coughing quiet and throats sore soothe to used been has honey centuries, For Answer: FACT HONEY Honeybee (Apis mellifera)
Brown to black head with dark eyes Dark thorax with yellow hairs
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Black and yellow abdomen segments Pollen Basket Photo by Wyman Meinzer Image from RealisticColoringPages.com 6 Texas Bull Nettle Article and Photos By Rose Cooper
Texas bull nettle, Cnidoscolus texanus, can be considered one of a kind, since it is the only plant in its genus that is native to Texas. Thriving in various soil types, it can be seen growing all over the state. Bull nettle is also found in Mexico and is known as mala mujer, which means “bad woman” in Spanish. This description is an attempt to portray the pain this plant can cause a person. The beautiful flowers yearn to picked, but if you touch them you will regret it. Don’t Mettle with this Nettle Texas bull nettle is found in the family Euphorbiaceae (pronounced yoo-for-bee-AY-see-ee) which is also known as the spurge family. The genus name, Cnidoscolus (pronounced nye-DOS-ko-lus), can be broken apart into two Greek words meaning needle (from the word knido) and thorn (from the word scolus). Though Texas bull nettle does not have true thorns, like on a mesquite tree, it does have hundreds of tiny stinging hairs. These hairs, also called trichomes, are as sharp as the needles your doctor may use. Think of them as tiny hyperdermic needles filled with phytotoxin, which is a poison made by the plant. If you brush against one of these plants, the hairs may penetrate your skin, break open, and release the phytotoxin. The phytotoxin can cause an intense pain with itching, stinging, swelling and redness of your skin. Some people compare the pain to thousands of ants biting at once or even to the pain caused by poison ivy. Ouch! Look, but Don’t Touch Even with its hundreds of tiny stinging hairs, people have been known to grow bull nettle in their gardens, and it’s no wonder why. Bull nettle can attract butterflies, such as Red Admirals, as well as bees and birds. It is drought tolerant and blooms all year around in some parts of the state. The white flower of bull nettle looks as though it has five petals; however, it has no petals at all. Instead, it has five tepals, which is a name given when the plant part looks like both a petal and a sepal. A sepal is usually found below the petals in most flowers. The female flowers have tepals that create the five white lobes of the flower. The male flowers, found in the same flower cluster as the female flowers, have lobes that are fused together. They do not look like they have petals, but instead look more like white tubes or trumpets. Both male and female flowers have stinging hairs, so do not be tempted to pick them. Tread Softly Bull nettle grows from a thick root and can be about two feet tall. The stems, covered with the glass-like stinging hairs, have a milky sap inside. This sap may also cause irritation to some if it gets on their skin. The leaves are wide and divided into three or five lobes. The leaves are also covered with stinging hairs, especially along the veins of each lobe. The hairs are white in color and have an elongated base, making them look like white dots on the leaves. The seed pods, or capsules, have three seeds inside and more hairs on the outside. With all of these stinging hairs, it’s no wonder Texas bull nettle also goes by the name of treadsoftly. But these hairs don’t stop some animals from enjoying parts of this plant as a tasty treat. The seeds are eaten by Rio Grande turkeys and mourning doves. Humans also find the seeds flavorsome and eat them raw or roasted. It is suggested, though, to use tongs or a gloved hand to pick the seeds. Just remember when around Texas bull nettle to tread softly, look but don’t touch and don’t mettle with this nettle.
Stem hairs Stem hairs 7 DON’t Miss the bat exhibit & raptor project – new for 2014!
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