Pollen clings to a bee’s legs as it collects nectar while pollinating a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national head-quarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects. Photos By: Christopher Gannon

FloralFrenzy

Busy bugs at The Gardeners of America in Johnston

A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia

flower as a new bloom hangs

over it . During this time of the

year, flowers begin to finish

blooming.

ABOVE: Pollen clings to a bee’s legs as it collects nectar while pollinating a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednes-day morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects.

The lady bug relaxes as it snacks on the juicy green leafs of a lily plant. Many types of insects can be found all over the gardens.

ABOVE: A spotted cucumber beetle escapes the morning sun.

Buggin’ Around

ABOVE: A ladybug stretches to climb from one leaf to another atop a Garden Phlox bud at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects - as well as for humans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gathering to care for

LEFT: A sweat bee gathers pol-len from a Ve-ronica blossom at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national h e a d q u a r t e r s garden Wednes-day morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinat-ing insects - as well as for hu-mans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gather-ing to care for the hundreds of blossoms at the garden.

ABOVE: A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily at The Gardeners of Ameri-ca/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for insects - as well as for humans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gathering to care for the hundreds of blossoms at the garden.

ABOVE: Pollen clings to a bee’s body as it collects nectar while pollinating a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects - as well as for humans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gathering to care for the beautiful blossoms.

Flowers have begun to bloom just in time for spring critters to begin on their journeys.

Not so garden variety

RIGHT: b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 John-ston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register -- A ladybug climbs a

Garden Phlox plant at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Gar-

den Clubs of America national headquarters

garden Wednesday morning in Johnston.

It was a busy morn-ing at the garden for

flower pollinating insects - as well as

for humans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gathering to

care for the hundreds

ABOVE: b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 Johnston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register -- A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America na-tional headquarters garden Wednes-day morning in Johnston. It was a

ABOVE: b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 Johnston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register -- A grasshopper suns itself atop a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of Amer-ica national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for insects - as well as for

LEFT: b0716gar-den - shot 07/15/09 Johnston, IA. Christopher Gan-non/The Register -- A sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blossom at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday

Around Iowa in seven days

Photo curtesy of Justin Hayworth/The Register

John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning.

Photo curtesy of Christopher Gannon/The Register

A pair of rid-ers exchange a high five after passing through the “Tunnel of Dreams” while arriving in Dy-ersville Friday morning.

Photo curtesy of Andrea Melendez/The Register

Above: Tara Scieszinski of Albia has a check list written on her arm of all the towns along the ride today. Her friend Katie Bunch of Albia would cross them off for her as they made it to the next town on her arm. RAGBRAI riders make their way from Rock Rapids to Spencer on the first day. The ride today was 75.7 miles taking them through George, Ashton, Melvin, Hartley and Moneta.

Photo curtesy of Harry Baumert/The Register

Above: John MacTaggart, 27, of North Liberty, gets a wind boost as he heads into Winthrop on

Friday morning.

RIght: Sam Simon of Battle Ground, IN said his 15 minute nap in Aplington Wednesday was re-

freshing and that the slide was more comfortable than his tent.

below: Beneath the dusk’s final glow, Darla and Craig Bruggeman of Inwood dip their tires into

the Rock River Saturday evening in Rock Rapids.

Photo curtesy of Mary Chind/The RegisterPhoto curtesy of Christopher Gannon/The Register

ABug’sLifeExplore the bright and buzzy life of the

many-winged creatures that happily that spend their summers in the garden.

Above: A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia flower while collecting nectar at The Garden-ers of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden.

Above: A ladybug stretch-es to climb from one leaf to another atop a Garden

Phlox bud. his photo-graph was made using a

100mm macro lens.Right: Pollen clings to a bee’s body as it collects

nectar while pollinating a Rudbeckia flower.

ALL PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER GANNON/THE REGISTER

Top right: A sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blossom.Bottom right: A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between pet-als on a daylily.

An Insect’s ABOVE: A lady-bug climbs a Gar-den Phlox plant at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters gar-den. A group of volunteers held a weekly gather-ing to care for the hundreds of blossoms at the garden. (Chris-topher Gannon/The Des Moines Register) LEFT: A sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blossom Wednes-day morning in Johnston. (Chris-topher Gannon/The Des Moines Register)

RIGHT: A grasshopper

suns itself atop a Rudbeckia

flower. It was a busy morning at the garden

for insects - as well as for hu-

mans - a group of volunteers held a weekly

gathering to care for the

beautiful blos-soms. (Chris-

topher Gannon/The Des Moines

Register)

ABOVE: A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. (Christopher Gannon/The Des Moines Register)

Garden

ABOVE: Pollen clings to a bee’s body as it collects nectar while pol-linating a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden (Christopher Gannon/The Des Moines Register)

CRAWLERSN O T S O C R E E P Y

A ladybug stretches to climb from one leaf to

another atop a

Garden Phlox bud.

A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily.

A sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blossom.

The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden in Johnston, IA features a range of not only plant life, but insects as well.

(Photos by Christopher Gannon/The Des Moines Register)

A grasshopper suns itself atop

a Rudbeckia flower on

a sunny Wesnesday

morning.

A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia flower while collecting nectar.

Blossoming beautyVolunteers joined with native insects at The

Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Club of

America in Johnston on Wednesday to care for

flowers basking in the hot morning sun.

A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America garden. The Rudbeckias were given constant attention from the insects and the volunteers as they attempted to nurture the budding flowers. All Photos: Christopher Ganon

A ladybug care-fully descends a vibrant Garden Phlox plant early Wednesday morning at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden.

A spotted cucumber beetle expertly navigates between two petals of a daylily using his specially designed sticky toes while avoiding drops of perilous dew.

An acrobatic sweat bee scales the

side of a Ve-ronica blos-som at The Gardeners

of America/Men’s Gar-

den Clubs of America in

Johnston.

Above: A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia

flower while collecting

nectar from his watchdog perch

on Wednesday morning at the national head-

quarters.

NEWSFriday, November 18, 2011 Page 1

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cores et et labor aut omni doluptiae.

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John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning. JUSTIN HAYWORTH/THE REGISTER

A Man sits under water to massage his weary back muscles fol-lowing Monday’s ride.

A RAGBRAI rider prepares for the sun with plenty of sunblock Friday as she makes her way through Winthrop.

CHRISTOPHER GANNON/THE REGISTER

HOLLY MCQUEEN/THE REGISTER

RAGBRAI:life on the roadR

John MacTaggart, 27, of North Liberty, gets a wind boost as he heads into Winthrop on Friday morning.HARRY BAUMERT/THE REGISTER

Christopher Garner

Nature’s Finest: The Gardeners of America

National Headquarters

A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia flower while collecting nectar at The Gardeners of America/Men's Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects - and for humans - as a group of volunteers worked to care for the beautiful blossoms.

Christopher GarnerA ladybug stretches to climb from one leaf to an-other atop a Garden Phlox bud.

Christopher GarnerA grasshopper suns itself atop a Rudbeckia flower at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednes-day morning in Johnston.

Christopher GarnerA sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blos-som. This photograph was made using a 100mm macro lens.

Christopher GarnerA spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily at the national headquarters garden.

Bikers Takeover

r0726ragbrai taken 07/23/07 Aredale, Ia. Photo By Justin Hayworth -- r0726ragbrai13jh -- John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGB-RAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning.REGISTER PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAYWORTH

Register photo by Christopher Gannon 7/25/07 -- m0726ragbrai -- RAGBRAI riders climb on an antique tractor to take photos of the crowd descending on Kesley Wednesday. (Christopher Gan-non/The Register)

Tara Scieszinski of Albia has a check list written on her arm of all the towns along the ride today. Her friend Katie Bunch of Albia would cross them off for her as they made it to the next town on her arm. RAGBRAI riders make their way from Rock Rap-ids to Spencer on the first day. The ride today was 75.7 miles taking them through George, Ashton, Melvin, Hartley and Moneta. (Andrea Melendez/The Register)

r0726ragbrai taken 07/23/07 Aredale, Ia. Photo By Justin Hayworth -- r0726ragbrai-16jh -- John Edwards and Lance Arm-strong talk as they ride along the RAGBRAI route out-side Aredale Wednesday morning.REGISTER PHOTO BY JUSTIN HAY-WORTH

Register photo by Christopher Gannon 7/27/07 - m0728ragbrai -- A pair of riders exchange a high five after passing through the “Tunnel of Dreams” while arriving in Dyersville Friday morning. (Christopher Gannon/The Register)

RAGBRAI riders climb on an antique tractor to take photos of the crowd descending on Kes-ley Wednesday.

RAGBAI riders take off!

John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning.

Steve Pade of Burlingam, CA, enjoys an ear of sweet corn on his stop in Marathon. This is his third RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI Monday, July 23rd.

RAGBAI attracts people all over the country to come ride all across Iowa in seven days in this non competetive bycicle ride. This year, more people attended in this event than ever.

Photo by Harry Baumert. Shot 7/27/07. Winthrop, Ia. - s0728ragbrai.4hb - John MacTaggart, 27, of North Liberty, gets a wind boost as he heads into Winthrop on Friday morning.

A pair of rid-ers exchange a high five after passing through the “Tunnel of Dreams” while arriving in Dyersville Fri-day morning. (Christopher Gannon/The Register)

Do you have what it takes to take on the challenge?

A of burning pavement

LEFT: Members of the Hersh-berger family watch the RAG-BRAI riders go by outside of Hazleton Thursday. (Holly Mc-Queen/The Register)RIGHT: Beneath the dusk’s fi-nal glow, Darla and Craig Brug-geman of Inwood dip their tires into the Rock River Saturday evening in Rock Rapids. It is the first RAGBRAI for the cou-ple, who choose to train for and join the ride this year because it started in their home county. (Christopher Gannon/The Register)

TRADITION ABOVE: John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning. (Justin Hayworth/ The Register)

ABOVE: John MacTaggart, 27, of North Liberty, gets a wind boost as he heads into Win-throp on Friday morning. (HarryBaumert/ The Register)

ABOVE: Steve Pade of Burlingam, CA, enjoys an ear of sweet corn.(Andrea Melendez/The Register)

“ ”Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa

Sam Simon of Battle Ground, IN said his 15 minute nap in Aplington Wednesday was refreshing and

that the slide was more comfortable

than his tent.

Dan Clark of Denver,

Col., hoists his bicycle

over his head with wife Deb-bie at the

conclusion of RAGB-

RAI XXXV in Bellevue

Saturday. It was their 8th

RAGBRAI.

Doug Burle-son of Odessa Mo., sits under falling water at the Humboldt water park to massage his weary back muscles fol-lowing Mon-day’s ride into town from Spencer.

SaturdayBeneath the dusk’s final glow, Darla and Craig Bruggeman of Inwood dip their tires into the Rock River Saturday evening in Rock Rapids. It is the first RAGBRAI for the couple, who choose to train for and join the ride this year because it started in their home county.

Ragbrai Rages On

Edwards and Lance Armstrong talk as they ride along the RAGBRAI route out-side Aredale Wednesday morning.

A pair of rid-ers exchange a high five after pass-ing through the “Tunnel of Dreams” while arriving in Dyersville Friday morn-ing.

John MacTaggart, 27, of North Liberty, gets a wind boost as he heads into Winthrop on Friday morning. HARRY BAU-MERT

John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning. JUSTIN HAYWORTH

Dan Clark of Denver, Col., hoists his bicycle over his head with wife Debbie at the conclusion of RAGBRAI XXXV in Bellevue Saturday. It was their 8th RAGBRAI. CHRISTO-PHER GANNON

Steve Pade of Bur-lingam, CA, enjoys

an ear of sweet corn on his stop in Mara-

thon. This is his third RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI Monday, July 23rd.

Spencer to Hum-boldt. Pass through

towns, Dickens, Gillett Grove, Webb, Mara-

thon, Laurens, (Albert City is on the Kar-

ras Loop), Havelock, Rolfe, Bradgate, and

Rutland. ANDREA MELENDEZ

RAGBRAI riders climb on an antique tractor to take photos of the crowd descending on Kesley Wednesday. CHRISTOPHER GANNON

RACING Ragbrai

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BUG VIEWOUR

their perspective

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Photo Story by Christopher Gannon Des Moines Register christopergannonphotography.com gannon@thedmregister.org @gannonphoto

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ABOVE b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 Johnston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register -- A spotted cucumber beetle climbs be-tween petals on a daylily at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national head-quarters garden Wednes-day morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for insects - as well as for humans - a group of volunteers held a weekly gathering to care for the hundreds of blos-

ABOVE b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 Johnston, IA. Chris-topher Gannon/The Register -- A ladybug descends a Gar-den Phlox plant at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden Wednesday morning in Johnston. It was a busy morning at the garden for flower pollinating insects - as well as for humans - a group of

RIGHT b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 John-ston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register -- A sweat bee gathers

pollen from a Veronica blossom at The Gar-deners of America/

Men's Garden Clubs of America national

headquarters garden Wednesday morning in

ABOVE b0716garden - shot 07/15/09 John-ston, IA. Christopher Gannon/The Register

-- Pollen clings to a bee's body as it collects

nectar while pollinat-ing a Rudbeckia flower

at The Gardeners of America/Men's Gar-

den Clubs of America national headquarters

Just us

BUGS hanging

out

It’s a bug’s life...The garden Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters in Johnston.

LEFT: A sweat bee gathers pollen from a Veronica blossom. ABOVE: A ladybug stretches to climb from one leaf to another atop a Garden Phlox bud. CHRISTOPHER GANNON

ABOVE: A bee pol-linates a Rudbeckia flower while collecting nectar. CHRISTOPHER GAN-NON

ABOVE: Pollen clings to a bee’s legs as it collects nectar while pollinating a Rudbeckia flower. CHRISTO-PHER GANNON

ABOVE: Pollen clings to a bee’s body as it collects nectar while pollinat-ing a Rudbeckia flower. CHRISTOPHER GANNON

RAGBRAI rid-ers climb on an antique tractor to take photos

of the crowd descending on Kesley. Photo

by Andrea Melendez

SPEEDY

Dan Clark of hoists his bicycle over his head with wife Debbie at the conclusion of RAGB-RAI. Photo by Christopher Gannon

A pair of riders exchange a high five after passing through the “Tun-nel of Dreams” while arriving in Dyersville Friday morning. Photo by Christopher Gannon

Steve Pade of Burlingam, CA, enjoys an ear of sweet corn on his stop in Marathon. This is his third RAGBRAI. Photo by Andrea Melendez

RECOVERY

Sam Simon of Battle Ground, IN said his 15 minute nap in Aplington Wednesday was refreshing and that the slide was more com-fortable than his tent. Photo by Mary Chind

Pacing is key for these RAGBRAI riders. Cyclists made their way from Rock

Rapids to Spencer on the first leg of the 6 day ride. The rest stops included food,

celebrations and a few naps.

A bugs eye view An inside look at a day in the life of a bug

A ladybug climbs a Garden Phlox plant at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden on a Wednsday morning in Johnston. Christopher Gannon.

A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia flower while collecting nectar at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden in Johnston. Christopher Gannon.

A sweat bee gath-ers pollen from a Veronica blossom at The Gardeners of America/Men’s Garden Clubs of America national headquarters garden in John-ston. Christopher Gannon.TOP A bee pollinates a Rudbeckia

flower while collecting nectar at The Gardeners of Americain Johnston.

RIGHT A spotted cucumber beetle climbs between petals on a daylily at The Gardeners of America in John-ston. Christopher Gannon.

CRAZE FOR THE RACE Steve Pade of Burlingam, CA, enjoys an ear of sweet corn on his stop in Marathon. This is his third RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI Mon-day, July 23rd. Spencer to Humboldt. Pass through towns, Dickens, Gillett Grove, Webb, Marathon, Laurens, (Albert City is on the Karras Loop), Havelock, Rolfe, Bradgate, and Rutland. (Andrea Melendez/The Register)

Cedar Falls, Members of the He r s hb e r g e r family watch the RAGBRAI riders go by outside of Ha-zleton Thurs-day. (Holly McQueen/The Register)

Tara Scieszins-ki of Albia has a check list writ-ten on her arm of all the towns along the ride today. The ride today was 75.7 miles taking them through George, Ash-ton, Melvin, Hartley and Moneta. (An-drea Melendez/The Register)

Aredale, Ia. Photo By Justin Hayworth -- r0726ragbrai13jh -- John Edwards and Lance Armstrong gathered a large crowd as they rode along the RAGBRAI route outside of Aredale Wednesday morning.

John Edwards and Lance Armstrong talk as they ride along the RAG-BRAI route outside Are-dale Wednes-day morning.