Pg 2 Photography | Pg 4 Pollinator Value | Pg 7 Classes

What is Pollination? By Melissa Drozd

Pol l inat ion is the act of transferring grains of pollen from the male part of the flower which is the anther, to the female part of the flower which is the stigma. Flowers are the tools that plants use to make their seeds. Seeds can be produced when pollen is transferred between flowers of the same species.

Po l l inators such as bees , butterflies, moths and even bats will carry pollen from one flower to another. With bees, for example, the pollen gets stuck to their feet when they land on one flower and then they transfer that pollen to other flowers they land on.

According to Sunset.com, there are a few plants that are best for pollinators such as butterfly weed and the sunflower. Butterfly weed has a beautiful yellow-orange cluster of flowers. Many years ago its tough root was chewed by Indians as a cure for pleurisy and other pulmonary ailments (www.wildflower.org). The sunflower is a more well-known pollinator. During its growth, it will tilt toward the sun, but once its done growing, it will tilt no more. By the time they are mature, they generally face east.

It's not always an insect or animal that pollinates. Anemophily is the act of wind currents distributing pollen that is light and non sticky. There are many crop plants that are wind pollinators such as wheat, corn, and oats. Read “Turning Leaves” on page 5 to learn more.

Why is pollination beneficial to human life? We partially depend on bees, birds and bats for 35% of the worlds crop production. Human nutrition is vital and pollination gives us the nutrients we need that come from the fruit, nuts and seeds we eat (www.internationalpollinatorsinitiative.org).

Bees have a very hard work ethic and are important to our every day lives considering they pollinate one-sixth of flowering plant species worldwide and 400 dif ferent a g r i cu l t u r a l t yp es o f p l an t s (www.onegreenplanet.org). A few crops we would miss out on if bees of all types did not pollinate our food sources would be onion, broccoli, and apricots.

There are many types of pollinators and many reasons why plants and flowers get pollinated, but when pollination occurs is interesting in and of itself. From the first hints of

warmth in late winter through spring and summer, until last call in autumn, flowering plants are available to their pollinators providing pollen and nectar in exchange for the pollination service.

Pollination activity during the day is usual but what can happen at nighttime sometimes is remarkable. Two researchers discovered that pollination in a plant species of Ephedra is correlated with the full moon (www.earthsky.org). So far, no other plant waits for a full moon in order to get pollinated. The plant is pollinated by nocturnal insects such as moths because the plant produces globules of sugary substances that the insects are attracted to which shimmer in the moonlight.

Climate change is something we as humans contributed to and face daily. Thankfully, pollinators have different traits and responses to atmospheric transitions. With so many diverse pollinators, we minimize the risks of climate change because there will be pollinators that can thrive in current, as well as future, conditions.

Pollination overall is good for animals, its good for the Earth and its good for human beings.

When we decided on pollination as this quarter’s theme, we also agreed that an appropriate hobby to accompany this theme is photography. It’s true that many photographers come to Lake Katherine to capture images of special people and events. Many others prefer general nature photos focusing on the swans, ducklings, and wildflowers. But the type of photography we want to consider here is digital macro photography, which generally means extremely “close up” photography of very small subjects. The size of the subject in the photo is life size or greater allowing us to actually see pollen transferring to a bee’s legs or a hummingbird’s tongue collecting nectar.

The person who immediately came to m ind for he r photogr aphy was J eanne Muellner, a long time Orland Grassland volunteer. Seasonally, Jeanne shares her digital photo collection with volunteers, and I remembered recently seeing some great pollinator shots from her Autumn, 2014 collection.

Jeanne says she started photographing at Or land Grassland with her “point and shoot” Nikon Coolpix because she purposefully wanted to keep a photographic record of how the restoration was working to

bring back more and more native birds, flowers, insects, and wildlife. After a couple years, she upgraded her equipment

and added lens options which allow for closer views. Now she says that she still lets the “camera do most of the work” except for the light in each photo which she adjusts using ISO sensitivity settings. Jeanne added that she now composes her pictures more deliberately

while still reflecting the reality of each image as it exists naturally. Finally, she commented that she often has to invest a lot of time taking multiple shots and depend on serendipity to capture her perfect image.

Another local photographer, John Ondracek, shared several of his macro photographs. We included this hummingbird which was taken with a 1/1000 of a second shutter speed. John says that he enjoys nature photography and often presents his work at art and craft shows. So, if you are someone who enjoys photography and uses more than your smart phone to take pictures, check your camera for a “macro” setting and look for the pollinators!

PHOTOGRAPHING POLLINATORS By Barb Carberry

MATCH THE POLLINATOR

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Carpenter bee on goldenrod, by Jeanne Muellner, Autumn, 2014

Orange Sulfur butterfly on New England Aster

1) Hummingbird _______ 2) Beetle _______ 3) Bee _______ 4) Butterfly _______

A. Water Lily B. Sunflower C. Honeysuckle D. Milkweed

(Answers: 1.C, 2. A, 3. B, 4. D)

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Many of us enjoy the beauty of f lowers in our backyard and community gardens, but we often don’t understand the role our gardens play in providing habitats for pollinators. Although pollen is carried by the wind, and some plants are self-pollinating, about 90% of flowering plants require assistance for pollination which comes primarily from native insect pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, beetles, wasps and even flies.

Many pollinator populations have declined due to habitat loss, disease, and inappropriate pesticide use. We must realize that pollinators are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems, assisting plant reproduction, and aiding genetic diversity in the plants they pollinate. A gardener with even a small plot will increase the number of pollinators in the area by including plants that provide essential habitats for them.

So here are a few guidelines for choosing plants to use as pollinator attractors:

Use local native plants. These are more attractive to pollinators than exotic flowers. They provide nectar to pollinating bees and butterflies, food to caterpillars, and nutrition for birds.

Plant flowers in clumps. This will attract more pollinators than individual flowers dispersed throughout the garden.

Plant flowers with different shapes. Different pollinators favor flowers specific to their anatomy.

Choose a variety of flower colors to appeal to different pollinators.

Plant so that something will be blooming from early spring through late fall.

The U.S. Forest Service has

divided the country into districts, and

our area is #5 “Eastern Broadleaf Forest Province.” Some specific native plants the Forest Service lists that thrive in our area and attract a variety of pollinators are: asters, blazing star, Virginia bluebells, beardtongue, bergamot, coneflowers, columbine, coreopsis, goldenrod, Joe Pye weed, lobelia, milkweed, and sunflowers among others. Add a few of these native plants to your garden and expect to see some pollinators!

This year, National Pollinator Week is being celebrated June 15 – 21. Many activities for this event are shared at “Pollinator Partnership” www.pollinator.org . Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (www.fs.fed.us) provides the table below to help identify the flower characteristics that attract specific pollinators. Use the information to match the pollinator with one of its favored flowers.

By Barb Carberry

Trait Bats Bees Beetles Birds Butterflies Flies Moths Wind

Color Dull white, green or purple

Bright white, yellow, blue, or UV

Dull white or green

Scarlet, orange, red or white

Bright, including red and purple

Pale and dull to dark brown or purple; flecked with translucent patches

Pale and dull red, purple, pink or white

Dull green, brown, or colorless; petals absent or reduced

Nectar Guides Absent Present Absent Absent Present Absent Absent Absent

Odor Strong musty; emitted at night

Fresh, mild, pleasant

None to strongly fruity or fetid

None Faint but fresh Putrid Strong sweet; emitted at night

None

Nectar Abundant; somewhat hidden

Usually present Sometimes present; not hidden

Ample; deeply hidden

Ample; deeply hidden

Usually absent Ample; deeply hidden

None

Pollen Ample Limited; often sticky and scented

Ample Modest Limited Modest in amount Limited Abundant; small, smooth, and not sticky

Flower Shape Regular; bowl shaped – closed during day

Shallow; have landing platform; tubular,

Large bowl-like, Magnolia

Large funnel like; cups, strong perch support

Narrow tube with spur; wide landing pad

Shallow; funnel like or complex and trap-like

Regular; tubular without a lip

Regular: small and stigmas exerted

Many plants depend on pollinators to get pollen from one flower to another. Over time, plants have evolved several ways of attracting pollinators to them. Smelly Signals

We often enjoy the scent of flowers blooming in the spring, but the scent isn’t there for our pleasure. Plants use their unique scents to attract the specific pollinators. There’s a reason bees are attracted to sugar – it smells sweet like flowers. But not all

flowers smell pleasing. There are some plants that smell distinctly like carrion, which works in their favor to attract flies to pollinate them. Coevolution

Some plants and insects have grown to depend on each other over millions of years of evolution. Some plants have developed mutually beneficial relationships with certain insects. Others have evolved in ways that allow only a single pollinator species to pollinate that plant. Such is the case with figs and fig wasps. Each species of fig can only be pollinated by its own unique species of wasp. Getting a “Buzz”

Scientists have found that plants that produce caffeine help their pollinators’ memories. In the case of bees, they are more likely to remember plants that have just enough caffeine to

act as a stimulant, but not enough so as to taste bad, and will come back to that species again and again.

“Hidden” Markings

While we cannot see in the ultraviolet range, many insects and birds can. Plants take advantage of this by having markings that can only be seen with ultraviolet vision. For example, a dandelion looks uniformly yellow to us, but to a bee, it is more colorful in the center – the area that the plant needs the bees to land.

Photos above by Rørslett

Have you ever stopped to watch a bumble bee visit a tomato flower? The bee aids the plant by releasing pollen and potentially carrying it to another plant, and the bee benefits by getting pollen to eat. Of course, the human growing the tomato also benefits because tomato production increases. How does this benefit to humans look on a larger scale? Researchers have estimated that insect pollinators contribute $29 billion a year to the U.S. economy due to increases in crop production from pollination.

Some crops, like apples and blueberries, are entirely dependent on insect pollination to produce fruits. Others, like tomatoes and grapes, can self-pollinate to some extent but are more productive with cross-pollination. The honeybee, which is actually a native of Europe, is a key player in much of this work, but native bees and insects can be important, too. Pumpkin and squash are almost entirely pollinated by native insects. Based on the value of these two crops alone, native pollinators contribute to over $200 million worth of produce.

These insects are providing an important service that helps put dollars in the pockets of farmers and food on our plates. How should we react to this knowledge? Hopefully, it begins to give us a sense of all the natural world is providing for us and, in this specific case, urges efforts at pollinator conservation. What can be done to ensure continued pollination of our crops? We need to consider how the use of pesticides can negatively affect pollinator populations. In addition, native pollinators need habitat to support their needs throughout the season (not just when a particular crop is blooming). This can be provided by protecting existing natural areas and planting native flowers, such as in prairie gardens.

Of course the value of insects goes beyond the ways they benefit humans, but by looking at their economic value, we can gain a new appreciation of just how important their work is.

HOW PLANTS ATTRACT POLLINATORS By Shamim Graff

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PUTTING AN ECONOMIC VALUE ON POLLINATION By Abbie Schrotenboer

What is Anemophily? Anemophily, or wind pollination,

is a form of pollination by which pollen is dispersed by the wind. Many of the world's most important crop plants are wind-pollinated. These include wheat, rice, corn, rye, barley, and oats. Many economically important trees, such as pines, spruces, firs, and many hardwood trees, are also wind-pollinated. Several species cultivated for nut production are also wind-pollinated.

Wind-pollinated plants do not invest resources in showy flowers, nectar, and scent. These flowers are usually very small and often overlooked since they do not need to attract insects or birds. Instead, they produce larger

quantities of light, dry pollen from small, plain flowers that can be carried on the wind. Pollen produced by these plants is of very low nutritional benefit to insects, having low protein content, and usually will only be gathered by insects when other pollen sources are scarce. The pollen of these plants

frequently brings out symptoms of hay fever among those sensitive to pollen.

Another type of pollination is sur face hydrophi l y , or water pollination, and is relatively rare in the

United States. Flowers release pollen, and the grains passively float to another flower. Flowers need to make a lot of pollen in order to increase their chances of the plant reproducing. As with wind pollination, plants that use water for pollination do not need to expend a lot of energy producing bright colors or smells to attract insects for reproduction. T h i s w a t e r - a i d e d pollination occurs in w a t e r w e e d s a n d pondweeds. In a very few cases, pollen travels underwater. Many of the water-pollinated plants have become invasive throughout the United States.

Plants may also be hand-pollinated by humans when natural pollination is insufficient or undesirable. Luther Burbank (1849-1923) was a pioneer in this method of pollination for development of new strains and varieties of plants. His fame as an inventor of new fruits, plants, and flowers has inspired world-wide interest in plant breeding. He also held several plant patents on different types of potatoes and other fruits and vegetables.

As a boy Luther Burbank also had a great fondness for the wild oxeye daisies that grew under the elm tree in front of his family home. Years later, Luther was inspired to develop these wildflowers for use as garden flowers,

and imagined the ideal daisy – one that had very large pure-white flowers, a long blooming period, and did well both as a cut flower and garden plant. In order to achieve his goals he used

four different plants. First he took the oxeye daisy and cross-pollinated it with the English field daisy, which had larger flowers than the oxeye daisy. The best of these hybrids were then dusted with pollen from the Portuguese field daisy and their seedlings were bred selectively for six years. These bloomed nicely, but

Mr. Burbank wasn’t yet satisfied. He wanted whiter, brighter flowers. So he took the most promising of these triple hybrids and pollinated them with the Japanese field daisy, a species with small, pure-white flowers. Finally, he got the beautiful large white daisy that he was hoping for. He named it for the lovely glistening snow covered Mount Shasta in Northern California and finally introduced his Shasta daisy hybrids in 1901.

“The scientist is a lover of truth for the very love of truth itself, wherever it may lead.” —Luther Burbank

By Jim Reichel

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Image: blog.nutrilys.com

Image: www.lutherburbank.org

Spring Projects It’s been a busy season this spring

at Lake Katherine. We have had several projects going on, including:

Our nature play area, funded by a KaBOOM! Let’s Play grant and gracious donors

A pollinator habitat restoration project, as part of a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant

Landscaping around the new entrance bridge

Some of these projects have now been completed, while others we will continue working on over the coming weeks and months. All of these have brought some great changes to our grounds.

Of course, these projects do not even take into account our regular spring work, including garden preparations, trail maintenance and invasive species removal. It was also planting season with 40 native tree

saplings planted in and around our grounds, as well as a variety of tree dedications. It’s important to get all of our trees in now, as we usually don’t plant later in the season to give the trees a bit of time to establish themselves.

Wildlife

Spring is also the time of year when wildlife really starts to come back. The black-crowned night heron (a state-listed endangered species) is back and is fishing in our moving water ways. You may also see three other species of heron, including great blue heron, green heron and bitterns. It is also the time of year when spring migrant warblers come through, including Baltimore orioles.

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AROUND THE LAKE By Gareth Blakesley

NATURALIST By Jim Reichel

What do the Santa Rosa plum, the Idaho potato, the Shasta daisy, elephant garlic, and a three cent U.S. stamp have in common?

If you said Luther Burbank, you are correct. Born in Lancaster, Massachusetts on March 7, 1849, Luther Burbank was an American botanist, horticulturist, and pioneer in agricultural science. He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 55-year career. His varied creations included grains, fruits, grasses, flowers, and vegetables including a spineless cactus that is useful as cattle-feed.

At the age of 21 he purchased a 17-acre tract about 10 miles from Lancaster and quickly developed the Burbank, or Idaho, potato – now the world’s most popular. He sold the rights to the potato for $150 in order to travel to California settling in Santa Rosa.

Though he married twice, he did not have any children with either wife. In mid-March 1926, he suffered a heart attack, became ill with gastrointestinal complications, and died on April 11, 1926, at the age of 77. He is buried near the greenhouse at the Luther Burbank Home and Gardens in Santa Rosa.

Luther Burbank taught at Stanford University from 1904 to 1906. In 1940, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 3-cent stamp honoring him. In 1986, Luther Burbank was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In California, his birthday is celebrated as Arbor Day and trees are planted in his memory. Image: www.britannica.com

Below: Play area under construction in the Children’s Forest; Above: Black-crowned night heron

Little Explorers Preschoolers (ages 3-6) and their favorite adult exploring nature together. Pre-registration and payment is required. Space is limited. Cost: $5. A Walk in the Waterfall We’ll put on our boots and make a splash investigating the movement of the water. We supply the boots for the children; parents please wear sturdy old tennis shoes or boots. Prgm# Date Time 373 Thur., July 16 9:30am-10:30am 374 Fri., July 17 9:30am-10:30am 375 Sat., July 18 10:30am-11:30am In a Grasshopper’s World After looking at grasshoppers indoors, we’ll journey out to the prairie and herb garden to see who else has six legs and three body parts. Sing a grasshopper song and make a grasshopper project, too. Prgm# Date Time 376 Thur., Aug. 6 9:30am-10:30am 377 Fri., Aug. 7 9:30am-10:30am 378 Sat., Aug. 8 10:30am-11:30am Summertime Fun Programs for school age children. Part of your time will be spent outdoors so dress appropriately. Pre-registration required. Cost: $5 Ant Café Discover the wonderful world of ants and their habitats through activities and projects. Prgm# Grade Date Time 345 K-5 Wed., June 10 3:45-4:45pm Tom Sawyer Style Fishing Try your hand at fishing, catch and release style. Poles and bait will be provided. Prgm# Grade Date Time 346 K-3 Wed., June 17 1:00-2:00pm 347 4-5 Wed., June 17 3:00-4:00pm 352 K-3 Wed., July 8 1:00-2:00pm 353 4-5 Wed., July 8 3:00-4:00pm 362 K-2 Wed., Aug. 12 1:00-2:00pm 363 3-5 Wed., Aug. 12 3:00-4:00pm

Along the Shore Take a hike on the shores of Lake Katherine using water nets to collect specimens. We will examine the specimens using our new microscope and dissecting scope. Prgm# Grade Date Time 348 K-3 Wed., June 24 1:00-2:00pm 349 4-5 Wed., June 24 3:00-4:00pm 354 K-3 Wed., July 15 1:00-2:00pm 355 4-5 Wed., July 15 3:00-4:00pm 366 K-3 Wed., Aug. 26 3:45-4:45pm Walking in the Waterfall Make a splash investigating the movement of the water in our waterfall. Please wear clothes that can get wet. We supply the boots for the children. Prgm# Grade Date Time 350 K-3 Wed., July 1 1:00-2:00pm 351 4-5 Wed., July 1 3:00-4:00pm 358 K-3 Wed., July 29 1:00-2:00pm 359 4-5 Wed., July 29 3:00-4:00pm 364 K-3 Wed., Aug. 19 1:00-2:00pm 365 4-5 Wed., Aug. 19 3:00-4:00pm Flower Pounding A fun way to transfer the colors of plants and flowers onto fabric. Our art project will start with a hike to find a variety of colors of plant leaves, stems and flowers and then we will use a mallet to press the plant material onto fabric. Prgm# Grade Date Time 356 K-3 Wed., July 22 1:00-2:00pm 357 4-5 Wed., July 22 3:00-4:00pm Amazing Insects Six-legged creatures are fabulous! Using magnifiers, we will look closely at grasshoppers and then hike outside with nets to capture insects and let them go. Prgm# Grade Date Time 360 K-3 Wed., Aug. 5 1:00-2:00pm 361 4-5 Wed., Aug. 5 3:00-4:00pm Hands on Natural Fun Day Camps Learn about the natural world through games, crafts and daily exploration. Investigate creates, walk in the waterfall, run through the prairie and fish in the lake. We have camps available for children ages 5 through 15. Camp size is limited to 15 children each session. Visit our website or stop by the Nature Center to learn more.

Family Stargazing Nights We will be hosting family astronomy nights. Outdoor viewing with telescopes to see various planets and the first phase of the moon. Cost: Donation Saturday, June 27th 8:00pm Saturday, July 25th 8:00pm Saturday, Aug. 22nd 7:00pm Adult Programs Lake Katherine is proud to offer a number programs on various topics and designed specially for adults - brought to you by the Natural Resources Committee. Each class is $5 per person unless otherwise stated. Pre-registration is required. Fly Fishing Tried angling but want to expand into fly-casting? Natural Resources Committee Member Mike Littman will share the rudiments of fly-casting, revealing useful tools and techniques. Prgm# Date Time 395 Sat., June 20 10:00am-12:00pm Dragonfly / Butterfly Walk Learn the secrets of these hugely beneficial insects! Operations Manager Gareth Blakesley will lead a walk through the gardens, prairie and wetland of Lake Katherine pointing out brightly colored and beautiful dragonflies and butterflies. Prgm# Date Time 396 Sat., July 11 10:00am-12:00pm Canoe/Kayak Tour* Operations Manager Gareth Blakesley will reveal the secrets of the lake as he guides us on a unique tour before sunset pointing out the species that start to come out to play around dusk. Spots are limited to a total of 27 people with three single person kayaks available on a first come, first served basis. Canoes seat three people each and parties may be split up to fill all seats. *$8 per person Prgm# Date Time 394 Sat., July 31 6:00-7:30pm

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EDUCATIONAL CLASSES

Learn more about all of our education programs at www.lakekatherine.org/activities.cfm

Canoeing and Kayaking - All Summer

Monday-Saturday 11am—3pm

Have you ever seen Lake Katherine from a boat? Give it a try by renting a canoe

or kayak ($8 per hour per person with a one-hour minimum).

Family Fishing Day Saturday, June 6th 8am - 3pm

Enjoy family fun fishing the entire shore for muskie, catfish, walleye and bass

during our catch and release fundraiser. All day and half day tickets available.

Recycling Day Saturday, August 22nd 9am - 12pm

Meet Lake Katherine at the parking lot west of the police department to recycle

electronics and prescription drugs. We will also be shredding and recycling paper.

Monarch Festival Sunday, September 13th 11am - 4:30pm

Save the date now for our annual fall festival celebrating the Monarch migration

down to Mexico.

7402 West Lake Katherine Drive

Palos Heights, IL 60463

Phone: 708-361-1873

Fax: 708-361-2978

www.lakekatherine.org

Buzz n’ Bloom Quarterly is produced

with the support of the Natural

Resources Management Committee.

The Natural Resources Management

Committee’s mission is to promote,

improve, and fundraise in regards to all

matter pertaining to Lake Katherine’s

natural resources.

Lake Katherine is owned and supported by the City of Palos Heights and managed by the Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic

Gardens, a non-profit , tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

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