National Pollinator Week

June 22 to 28 is National Pollinator Week. All over the United States, pollinators like bees, flies, butterflies and even bats are celebrated. Use the chance to find out more about the insects that provide us with sweet-tasting apples and juicy tomatoes; and see what you can do to help them. There are lots of activities planned in many cities and unviersities all over the country.

Click here to find out what the University of Urbana-Champaign will do.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung;
The grass has ris.
I wonder where
The birdie is?

There he is
In the sky.
He dropped some
Whitewash in my eye!

I am no sissy;
I won't cry.
I'm just glad
The cows can't fly!

But seriously, the bumble bee queens are emerging - if not already then very soon. This year they are a bit overdue, but judging by the nice Spring weather (at least here in Central Illinois) it won't be long now, so keep your eyes open ...

Then again, if there's any truth in Ogden Nash's poem up here, better keep them closed and listen for their humming sounds.

Festival about social insects

"Flip over an old log, or tear off some bark, and you can find termite workers and ants scurrying through wooden tunnels."

As part of the annual Insect Fear Film Festival at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which will be held at Foellinger Auditorium on Feb. 23rd, an article appeared in the News Gazette on the role of social insects in our everyday life. You will see that social insects are virtually everywhere. And they are a lot more exciting when looking up-close.

This article was an episode of NPR's "Environmental Almanac". Go check it out at environmentalalmanac.blogspot.com. If you want to listen to the episode, download it here:

Real Audio | MP3