Spotted knapweed: balancing ecological conservation with economic investment
Spotted knapweed, or star thistle, Centaurea maculosa, is an invasive flowering plant that was first observed in Michigan in 1911 [2]. As an invasive, it is able to out-compete native species, it is environmentally detrimental, and difficult to extirpate. It can out-compete native vegetation by releasing growth-inhibiting chemicals into the soil [2]. It also has a robust root system, grows well in disturbed habitats, and is distasteful to grazers, which allows it to spread ra
Honey Bees Swarming in Mid Spring
In the spring, walking along the forest edge of a honey bee hive yard, it is not uncommon to see hundreds of bees all clumping together on a low branch. While it may be a familiar behavior to beekeepers, until last spring I had never seen anything like it. From a distance, the mass looks like hot, melted wax, dripping slowly off the tree’s branch. As you get closer, however, you see the individual bees, climbing over each other, each holding onto the backs of her sisters to f
Making a living in the Great Lakes region: the importance of picking the right moment
Andrena are a genus of solitary bees commonly called mining bees due to their nesting behaviour. In contrast to the more familiar honey bees, which nest in aerial cavities, mining bees nest directly in the ground. When the spring arrives, look at patches of bare ground in warm sunny places and you may be able to spot little mounds of dirt with a central hole, like a tiny volcano. These are mining bee nests that are excavated by the female bee. She will dig down into the compa
