I hope you are all having a wonderful spring so far. Some exciting events are coming up this month!
We will be having a pollinator walk in collaboration with the St. Patrick's Island BioBlitz event on June 10, 2023. There will be many nature walks happening throughout the day on June 9 and 10th! The event runs from 4:00pm - midnight on June 9 and 6:00am - 4:00pm on June 10, bat surveys, guided walks focusing on insect, plant, fish, fungi, and more! We will be there leading plant/pollinator walks starting at 9:00am on June 10. A detailed schedule and more information about the SPI BioBlitz can be found here. Let us know you're coming, register here!
The last week of June (19-24) is Pollinator Week! There will be events happening throughout the city that week that focus on pollinators! The University of Calgary will be holding a Garden Party on Friday June 23. The Wagonstage Theatre will perform at 10:00am with more events to follow. Stay tuned for more details on Pollinator Week events in the City of Calgary!
June Plant of the Month: Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)!
Gaillardia aristata, commonly known as blanket flower or common Gaillardia, is a herbaceous perennial wildflower in the daisy family native to Alberta and the rest of Western North America. The genus name ‘Gaillardia’ was named in honour of Gaillard de Marentonneau, a patron of botany in the 18th century. The species name ‘aristata’ is derived from the latin word ‘arist’ meaning bristle; which refers to the hairy stems and leaves the plant possesses. Blanket flowers have an extended blooming period from June through September. You will find blanket flowers in open prairies, meadows, and on hillsides with full fun and dry soil, ranging from the Northwest Territories all the way down to Arizona.
Indigenous peoples across western North America traditionally use this plant for medicinal properties: the Stoney Peoples steep and drink tea made of the flowers to relieve menstrual problems, and the Blackfoot use the root to help relieve stomach pain and discomfort. Recently, the seeds of the plant have been used in wildflower sod for native plant rehabilitation and restoration of natural areas.
The blanket flowers produce a lot of nectar, which attracts many pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and beetles, that use it as a steady food source through summer. Its importance as a food source is not limited to insects, as birds enjoy eating the seed heads of the flowers.
Blanket flowers range from 6 - 24 inches tall, normally with a singular flower on the top of each stem. The proportion of red and yellow pigmentation on the petals varies within the species; this means that a flower can range from mostly red or mostly yellow. The flower petals normally have a red/purple to yellow gradient from the central disc to the petal tips. The petals are actually individual florets that have 3 lobes at the tips. There are 10-18 wedge shaped petals per flower, and they are 1-3 cm in length. The base leaves are stalked and are long lance shaped with irregular edges. The stem leaves are small and lack stalks. Both the leaves and stem appear hairy.
Gaillardia are personally one of my favourite native wildflowers to see in the summer time! What are your favourite wildflowers?
June 19th - 25th is Pollinator Week. Here are some events happening in Calgary!
Calgary Pollinators: June Community Pollinator Walk Saturday June 24th, 12:00pm-1:00pm Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Register for the June Community Pollinator Walk HERE Bring your friends, family, and your smart-phone! We recommend downloading iNaturalist ahead of time.
There will be performances by the Wagonstage Theatre: The Little Forest at 11:00am and 1:00pm
Pollinator Week events will be taking place on the Walker House lawn within Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
U of C Garden Party Friday, June 23rd, 11:30am - 1:00pm Free Bee Box-Building workshop
Pollinator Walks
Wagonstage Theatre Performance
Register for the event HERE Location: University of Calgary Main Campus Community Garden
Happy Pollinator Week! Our pollinators of the month this month are Bumble Bees!
Bumble bees (Bombus) are a genus of social bees found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus name Bombus comes from the Latin word for "buzzing" or "humming," which refers to the sound that bumblebees make as they fly. There are over 250 species of bumblebees worldwide, with around 41 species found in Canada, and 28 species in Alberta. Some common examples of native bumblebee species found in Alberta include Hunt’s Bumblebee (Bombus huntii), the Red-belted Bumblebee (Bombus rufocinctus), and the Cryptic Bumblebee (Bombus cryptarum).
Bumblebees are social insects, living in colonies led by a queen bee. The size of the colony can vary from a few dozen to several hundred bees, depending on the species. They occupy a wide range of ecological niches, but are most commonly found in habitats such as meadows, fields, and gardens. They are important pollinators of native plants because of their relatively long tongues, which they use to reach nectar from deep flowers that other pollinators may not be able to access. Bumble bees also facilitate buzz pollination; certain species of plants depend on the vibrations from the bumble bee’s wings to release their pollen, for example, plants in the Nightshade family like tomatoes. Bumblebees are attracted to a variety of flowering plants, particularly those with brightly coloured, fragrant flowers. A few common examples of native plants that bumblebees like include bee balm, milkweed, and sunflowers.
To identify bumblebees, look for their characteristic large, fuzzy bodies, black and yellow or orange stripes. The colour and pattern of the stripes can vary between species. Pictures from multiple angles of the dorsal/back side that allow you to see the banding pattern of the bumblebee are helpful to distinguish between bumblebee species.
U of C Garden Party: Friday, June 23rd, 11:30am - 1:00pm University of Calgary Community Garden
Free Bee Box-Building workshop, Pollinator Walks, Wagonstage Theatre Performance
Register for the event HERE
Calgary Pollinators: June Community Pollinator Walk: Saturday June 24th, 12:00pm-1:00pm Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Register for the June Community Pollinator Walk HERE Bring your friends, family, and your smart-phone! We recommend downloading iNaturalist ahead of time.
There will be performances by the Wagonstage Theatre: The Little Forest at 11:00am and 1:00pm
Pollinator Week events will be taking place on the Walker House lawn within Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Bonus content: I recently did an interview with Arch Digital Magazine at the University of Calgary and they published the interview just in time for Pollinator Week! Enjoy!
