May 15, 2024

On 20 December 2017, following three years of international efforts, the UN Member States unanimously approved Slovenia’s proposal and 20 May was proclaimed World Bee Day.

There is no life without bees

  Bees are some of the most important pollinators, ensuring food and food security, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity, and they significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and the conservation of the environment. In the long-term, the protection of bees and the beekeeping sector can help reduce poverty and hunger, as well as preserve a healthy environment and biodiversity.

  Bees are also important in terms of sustainable agriculture and creating rural jobs. By pollinating, they increase agricultural production, thus maintaining diversity and variety in our fields and on our plates. In addition, they provide millions of people with jobs and are an important source of farmers' income.

  Today, every third spoonful of food depends on pollination, and bee products are a rich source of essential nutrients.

  Nevertheless, scientific studies show that there are more and more negative effects on the health of bees, which makes them increasingly endangered. This, in turn, requires us to take extra care of their survival, as harmful factors cause a decline in the resistance of bees, which affects their susceptibility to diseases, pests and the like. In addition, this is also problematic in terms of the protection and preservation of the environment, as bees foster biodiversity in nature and have a positive impact on the entire ecosystem and are a good indicator of the state of the environment. As a result, in 2011 Slovenia became one of the first countries in the EU to prohibit the use of certain pesticides most harmful to bees.

"To talk about reducing world hunger without ensuring conditions for the existence of bees and other pollinators is to pull the wool over people's eyes. It is time for everyone to listen to bees, in particular leaders and decision-makers. From now on, 20 May will be a worldwide celebration of bees and beekeepers. I believe that with the proclamation of World Bee Day, the world will begin to think more broadly about bees, in particular in the context of ensuring the conditions for their survival, and thus for the survival of the human race", said Boštjan Noč, initiator of World Bee Day and president of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association.

Photo credit: Dale Gray

Monarch and Milkweeds statement for UF/IFAS, courtesy of Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity

May 2024

Full statement:

  For Floridians interested in supporting monarch butterflies, there are ways to mitigate the known infection of the parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE). Native milkweeds provide resources for other wildlife such as the queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) and many insect pollinators.

  According to Jaret Daniels, curator of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, reducing the number and distribution of milkweeds across the landscape could actually increase the overall proportion of infected monarchs. With fewer milkweeds overall, monarchs may congregate in the remaining areas where the plants still grow, which could increase OE transmission.

  He also recommends using native milkweed, when possible, instead of the non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). If tropical milkweed is used north of Lake Okeechobee in Florida, cutting it back around the end of October before migrant monarchs arrive from more northern areas will help prevent monarch infection. It will also minimize winter breeding and potential disruption to the fall migration.

Cicadas

  You may have heard the recent news about the biggest cicada emergence to occur in 221 years. Trillions of cicadas are estimated to emerge throughout the summer season in several U.S. states. 

  The cicadas responsible for this event are known as periodical cicadas, and they belong to the genus Magicicada. There are two broods that will be emerging simultaneously: Brood XIX and XIII. This is the first instance since 1803! This strategy of “strength in numbers” allows many of these cicadas to survive predation.

  While other states may be experiencing a historically loud summer, Florida will not. That is because we do not have any periodical cicada species. Our cicada species are annual, meaning that they occur every year. 

 If you’ve ever spent a summer in Florida, you’re likely familiar with the loud, eerie buzz of the cicada. That buzz is actually the males’ mating call, and by their standards, the louder it is, the better. This sound is produced by their tymbals, a pair of drum-like structures on either side of the abdomen.  Follow this link to hear them. 

https://youtu.be/pb5jn7MpU_I?s..

Events - Solutions for Your Life - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS (ufl.edu)

Summer Gardening 101 Eventbrite link is now live and can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-summer-gardening-101-classes-tickets-898244642907?aff=oddtdtcreator. Please feel free to share this on any methods of advertising our programs. I have already posted it on Facebook and pinned it to the top. 😊 Below is the class line-up for this summer:

- Tuesday, 6/4 – Growing Microgreens – Dianne B., UF/IFAS Extension, Marion County Master Gardener Volunteer

- Tuesday, 6/11 – Homeowner Turf Management – Amanda Marek, Florida-FriendlyÔ Landscaping Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 6/18 – Fruit Trees & Citrus in the Home Landscape – Mark Bailey, Small Farms Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 6/25 – Garden & Landscape Pest Management – Maxine Hunter, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 7/2 – Spice Things Up - Rebecca Elliott, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent

- Tuesday, 7/9 – Vegetable Gardening 101 – Jeremy Rhoden, Urban Horticulture Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 7/16 – Gardening for Pollinators – Jeremy Rhoden, Urban Horticulture Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 7/23 – Foodscaping with Florida-FriendlyÔ Landscaping – Amanda Marek, Florida-FriendlyÔ Landscaping Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County

- Tuesday, 7/30 – Water Ecosystems Tour – Ocala Wetland Recharge Park – Ondine Wells, Water Resources Agent, UF/IFAS Marion County, and Gabriela Sullivan, Water Resources Conservation Coordinator, City of Ocala ***THIS CLASS WILL MEET DIRECTLY AT THE OCALA WETLAND RECHARGE PARK***

- Tuesday, 8/6 – Propagation 101 – Connie B., UF/IFAS Extension, Marion County Master Gardener Volunteer

UF/IFAS Extension Marion County is a cooperation between the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida to deliver relevant, research-based education programs that result in healthy people, healthy environments and healthy economies.