10 Years!

The Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat is 10 years old! In the fall of 2012, Soni and I attended “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” weekend in Halsey, Nebraska sponsored by Nebraska Game and Parks. One of the sessions focused on the challenges of increasing our native pollinator population. We left the session with a handmade native bee nest box, information and motivation to spread the message about the importance of encouraging native pollinators in our community.

In the spring of 2013, we asked our then unit leader if we could transform the underutilized space behind the Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County office into a native pollinator/wildlife habitat. The journey began and it is amazing to see how much we have accomplished during this time. We started with a neglected lawn area behind our office and turned it into a thriving habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

A few of our accomplishments include: two educational signs, one solitary bee house, one insect hotel, three water stations, over 40 native plants with name labels, over 200 stems of common milkweed for monarchs & other beneficial insects and became a Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Certification Program site.

The habitat is a great place to teach youth, adults, Master Gardeners and even our own staff about the importance of pollinators. Every time I visit the habitat I see or learn something new.

It has been a rewarding and educational experience for me. I hope it has been that way for you as well.

MJ Frogge

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  We’ll call this the “before” photo.

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Lots of Snow!

The Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat received 14.8 inches of snow this week.

MJ Frogge

Nearly 15 inches of snow on January 25.

Put Your Christmas Tree to Good Use

In addition to pollinators, the Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat is also visited by birds, deer, raccoons, rabbits, and more. Learn how you can recycle your Christmas tree to benefit wildlife in your own backyard.

Wild Begamot-for Pollinators

Wild bergamot, Monarda fistulosa is blooming now in the Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat. This perennial plant is native to Nebraska and found through out North America. It reaches heights of 2 to 5 feet tall. The flowers are light purple and is an important pollinator plant to bumblebees, skippers, swallowtails, monarchs, solider beetles, wasp, leaf cutter bees and sweat bees.

MJ Frogge

September Blooming

The Cherry Creek Pollinator habitat is full of color and life. There are so many important native plants blooming now. These plants are important because they are used by migrating butterflies like monarch and painted ladies. They are also important to the native bees and other beneficial insects that will be active until the first hard frost. Blooming in the habitat right now is smooth aster, tall thistle, sawtooth sunflower, goldenrod and pitcher sage.

MJ Frogge

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Feeding Birds

Sunflower seed bird feeder.

Finch sock bird feeder.

The Cherry Creek Habitat hosts many American Goldfinch. I placed three sock feeders for them in our mature trees that border the habitat. I also hung the sunflower seed bird feeder for our seed eating birds. We often see Dark-eyed Junco and Northern Cardinals in or near the habitat.

M J Frogge

Master Gardener Lunch & Learn

Today the Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat hosted a Master Gardener Lunch & Learn.  Master Gardeners brought their lunch, toured the habitat and learn more about our bee structures and plant selection for pollinators.  They constructed a solitary bee nest to place in their home landscape next year from recycled and repurposed items. Master Gardeners also made nature journals and spent time in the pollinator habitat observing nature.  The Cherry Creek Habitat is the perfect place to lunch and learn.

MJ

Master Gardeners make solitary bee nests.

Native Grasses

At the Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat we have included many native grasses.  We have established Indiangrass, little bluestem, big bluestem, switchgrass and sideoats grama.  The fall color and seed heads are at their best now.  If you plan to add ornamental grasses to your landscape, consider native grasses.  You will not be disappointed.
MJ

Native grasses, like Indiangrass, established in the pollinator habitat.

UNL and Pollinators

Last week I attended the UNL Entomology, Agronomy and Horticulture Pollinator Garden and Outdoor Classroom open house. This new garden is located on East Campus in the teaching gardens. Dr. Doug Golick, from the UNL Entomology Department led the tour. Pollinator plots have been seeded with native plants. A water wise garden area, pollinator food plot and larval habitat are also part of this pollinator garden. We viewed many pollinators while we toured the garden.

Nebraska Extension is in the process of forming nineteen new issue teams. I joined the “Protect beneficial insect ecosystems including pollinators” Team. In November this new state wide team will meet for the first time to discuss and plan our mission for the coming year. This team was organized because Nebraskans see beneficial insects and pollinators as a priority.
MJ

Pollinator Garden and Outdoor Classroom on East Campus.

Water wise garden.

Honeycomb structure in pollinator garden.

Open house for UNL Entomology, Agronomy and Horticulture Pollinator Garden and Outdoor Classroom.

Southern Plains bumblebee on purple cone flower.

Wildlife in the Habitat

Sometimes we get lucky and see wildlife in the Cherry Creek Pollinator Habitat.  Today it was a gray tree frog.  The bee house is not just for solitary bees after all.

MJ

Can you see the tree frog?

Tree frog resting in the solitary bee house.