Hello group. So I have decided that for my project I am going to investigate a species in its natural environment. The two species I was considering are bees and hummingbirds. I want to develop some kind of lure that will attract them to my porch. This lures will be made of flowers and for hummingbirds some type of feeder. Here is the research I have studied to get directions and ideas for this experiment.
For bees there are several ways of attracting them:
1. Nectar- Its loaded with sugars which are the main source of energy.
2. Pollen- provides the balanced diet of proteins and fats.
3. Climate- Such as humidity and temperature
4. Choosing the right flowers! : For native bees, native plants are the best. Other luring plant types include perennials and herbs:
Basil Ocimum Cotoneaster Cotoneaster English lavender Lavandula Giant hyssop Agastache Globe thistle Echinops Hyssop Hyssopus Marjoram Origanum Rosemary Rosmarinus Wallflower Erysimum Zinnia Zinnia
and flowers that attract bees include:
Aster Aster Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia Caltrop Kallstroemia Creosote bush Larrea Currant Ribes Elder Sambucus Goldenrod Solidago Huckleberry Vaccinium Joe-pye weed EupatorLupine Lupinus Oregon grape Berberis Penstemon Penstemon Purple coneflower Echinacea Rabbit-brush Chrysothamnus Rhododendron Rhododendron Sage Salvia Scorpion-weed Phacelia Snowberry Symphoricarpos Stonecrop Sedum Sunflower Helianthus Wild buckwheat Eriogonum Wild-lilac Ceanothus Willow Salix
(http://gardening.about.com/od/attractingwildlife/a/Bee_Plants_2.htm)
For Hummingbirds there are a few needed steps that attract these fast moving creatures.
1. Step 1
Plant nectar-bearing flowers like lilacs, cosmos or ornamental thistle. The nectar attracts hummingbirds
2. Step 2
Purchase and hang a hummingbird feeder. No matter what type of hummingbird feeder you buy, make sure it has no yellow parts, because yellow attracts bees and wasps.
3. Step 3
Plant or place something red in your garden to attract hummingbirds. Roses are not nectar-bearing plants, but they are a good choice because their color will attract these beautiful birds. Most hummingbird feeders have some red in them.
4. Step 4
Prepare a solution of one part sugar and four parts water and put it in the hummingbird feeder. Do not use the red dye that you'll find in some hummingbird feeder sets. This was once a popular item because of its color, but it can cause beak cancer.
5. Step 5
Clean the hummingbird feeder at least once a week with hot soapy water. Replace the solution, because it can turn to alcohol and harm the birds if it sits too long.
6. Step 6
Use insecticides sparingly if at all. These chemicals can kill butterflies if they land on a saturated plant.(
http://www.ehow.com/how_2212852_lure-hummingbirds-butterflies-garden.html)
So now that I have done this brief research on attracting hummingbirds and bees I’m going to have to execute the experiments separately because hummingbirds and bees are not allies. For the experiment I need to find a time of day that seems to be the most popular to the creature and just watch the lures for an hour to two hours,
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05/26/10 17:52:14 - weather and birdsSo unfortunately this weather has brought quite the damper on my project. The rains that has been hitting caused me to take down my hummingbird feeders. It takes feeders and hanging gardens awhile to attract humming birds. So the constant putting up and taking down of my lure has caused an absence of humming birds. I am going to hope that from now till the show I can let the lures stay up for enough time to establish a stable location for the birds. It is a huge downer to me that my perfect spring humming bird weather is non existent, lets hope for good weather from now to till the show. Ill keep you posted.
On another note, I have been studying the birds at my work. They are FEARLESS. The birds will come inside my work and harass customers as well as the workers. Since they are nesting they will literally fly in and pluck hairs out of peoples heads to include in their nests. They will also sneak behind the counters where I am working and steal dropped crumbs its pretty hilarious. The customers don’t seem to mind though so we kind of just let the birds do as they please.
Finally for today, I went home last weekend and got to see my dog Roxy. She is the best! She hates when my brothers and I put clothing or glasses or anything on her. She will not move at all even if we call her for a treat. It seems like when she has the clothing on she becomes paralyzed. She has also, recently, grown an attachment to a hamburger toy. She thinks it is real food and wont allow anyone to go near it. So I decided that it would be interesting to get her to trust me enough to get the toy for her.I tried various techniques of getting her to give it. I finally noticed that if I whispered and asked her for it she would let her price piece go. It was interesting to me that just changing my tone would convince her.
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