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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:As we mentioned last week, we are sending this week's issue early because we will not have Internet access for several days. Depending on the impact this early mailing has on the number of bounced messages, we might continue sending earlier in the week. The number of full mailboxes has become a huge concern and we continue to remove five to two dozen addresses every single week. This week we take a look into the insect world. We hope you'll find our article on bees interesting - it is a little long, but their is a lot of information there. In our reader mailbag we tackle the problem of houseflies. Of course, there is much more you may find of interest. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor "Exotic & Unusual Seeds from Around the World" 2) Bees:
Did you know, Honey bees are not native to the United States. During the 1600's, settlers brought honey bee colonies to the Americas. Today most of the annual $30 Billion in cultivated crops in the United States are pollinated by bees. The bees imported into the United States were named European honey bees. At first, the European honey bee had a tough life in the United States due to numerous predators, including humans who stole their honey, pollen, and beeswax to which the bee colony depends on for its survival. The European honey bee is generally a docile insect if left unprovoked; they rarely use their stingers, and even if they do, they could only use it once and they would die. European honey bees are highly social insects known to be able to communicate with each other. They are able to relay the direction and distance of nectar and pollen sources to special worker bees who search for new locations and sources. Entomologists have learned that the European honey bee has the ability to beat their wings 11,400 times-per-minute; this is what creates their distinctive buzz. The honey bee flight speed is about 15 miles per hour. Surprisingly, the average honey bee will harvest only 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in a lifetime!
In 1956 researchers in Brazil attempted to develop a new variety of honey bee. They imported honey bee queens from Africa whom they intended to cross breed. They hoped these bees would be better suited to the tropical Brazilian environment. In 1957, some African swarms escaped into the Brazilian countryside where the more docile resident European honey bees lived. These cross bred bees spread over the countryside in a few short years. They became known as the Africanized honey bee. They are more aggressive, maybe because of the tropical warm climate or because of the Africanized bees more aggressive personality. This aggressiveness results in them being more protective of their hives. In a few instances humans and animals have been mass attacked. However, in all cases these attacks were caused by the humans or animals intruding into the Africanized colony's domain. The mass stinging incidents terrified people all over the world. Also about the same time, the first colony of Africanized bees crossed over the border into the United States at Hildago, Texas. The chance encounters with these bees created substantial publicity and the movie industry produced a movie based on the massive invasion of the Africanized honey bees, and the media coined these bees the "Killer Bee." This publicity led to serious misconceptions by the general public about the Africanized honey bee. Ever since that time, all bee swarms that have been found have been destroyed. It is generally thought that the Africanized bees have retreated south of the border. However, if you do happen to come across large numbers of bees that have been disturbed, you should quickly and calmly move away from the area. If there is a problem, let the professionals handle it. Scientists have studied the Africanized honey bee for a number of years -- much more information is now known about them and their behavior. Cooperative programs with the United States and Mexico have been very helpful in solving this problem. Actual deaths caused by the Africanized bee is very small. Statistics show that the every day risk of an automobile accident pose a far greater risk to the public then the Africanized bee. Most professionals agree that the odds are greatly in your favor and very, very few people need to worry about "Killer Bees." You are paying too much for long distance. Check out our best rate calculator. Click here or visit http://ld.net/calculator/?goalsmint 3) Humor for Today:We were on our way to the hospital where our 16-year-old daughter was scheduled to undergo a tonsillectomy. During the ride we talked about how the procedure would be per- formed. "Dad," our teenager asked, "how are they going to keep my mouth open during the surgery?" Without hesitation he quipped, "They're going to give you a phone." 4) How's Your Drainage?
What's the best way to test your drainage to see whether you have a problem? Here is an easy way. Dig a hole a couple feet deep and fill it with water. Go ahead and let it drain and then refill it. At that point, make observations every 45 minutes or so. If the level drops slower than about an inch every 45 minutes, or if you have rater remaining in the hole the next morning, you may have a poor drainage issue. However, after you refill, if the water disappears from the hole like being sucked into the soil, you have the opposite problem and too much drainage. Unfortunately, there is no good cure for soggy drainage unless you install some sort of drain tile system. One possible solution to both situations is to add a liberal amount of organic matter to the soil. Of course, even is you don't have a drainage issue, in most situations, it is always a good idea to enhance your soil organic matter. 5) Roses (Part III): Great Pictures and Our Favorite Roses
For those who wish to give roses a try, or for rose lovers looking for a new variety, here are some recommendations. (Remember to be aware of the plant's hardiness zone. Here is further zone info for you. http://rexseedco.com/zoned.htm) D9658 Pale Pink Virginia Rose D9659 Deep Red Japanese Rose D9661 Pure White Japanese Rose D9663 Bright Yellow Korean Rose You'll find many more great selections on our Rose page. Enter the catalog by clicking here, scroll down and click on Roses. It's not to early to start planning
for your fall decorations. Click
Here or visit http://rexseedco.com/art/autumn.htm 6) Quote for Today:"What you do today can change the course of your life far
into the future. Today is critical. Today really counts. " 7) Reader Mailbag: Common Housefly"The flies are invading, what can you tell me about them? Is there a plant that is non-toxic to place in common areas or rooms that will kill or repel the flies?"
To make that nuisance housefly leave a room (during night time) turn the inside light off, then turn on an outside light and they will leave the room providing, of course, you give them a way to get out of the room. The housefly is probably the most common fly throughout the world. They are readily found in and around dwellings of man and his livestock. Houseflies are strongly suspected to spread disease-causing organisms, they do this by carrying numerous bacteria on its body. Just the fact that they could be feeding on garbage or animal manure prior to landing on food is cause enough to concern most health officials. "Stable flies" (Stomarys calitran) look much like the mild mannered housefly, but it is different because of its proboscis (beak). The housefly has a soft beak and it works like a sponge to sop up its food. The Stable Fly has a pointed proboscis which is built for stabbing and sucking blood. Although the stable fly does bite humans, they prefer to attack animals. Both the male and female stable fly bite and suck blood. In a search for cooler, more humid air, the stable fly prefers to live along rivers Insect repellents are generally ineffective against stable flies. The common housefly are strong fliers, however they are most generally found near their own breeding site. It is very common for them to fly up to two miles away, but, they have been known to migrate up to four miles. With such a radius, they are hard to control. The best way to control the housefly is to get rid of their breeding area. Fly pesticides are often used when all else fails. Unfortunately, the toxic chemicals are more dangerous and we suggest you think twice before using any strong chemicals. You may want to visit Floritron Fly Control at http://www.electronicflycontrol.com This is an electronic fly killer and it works both indoors and out. Not sure how effective it is, but it might be an alternative to chemicals. 8) Licorice (Spanish Licorice):
Generous supplies of the plant's roots were discovered in Emperor King Tut's Tomb. Egyptian hieroglyphics have recorded the use of Licorice as a popular beverage even before the Bible was written. Alexander the Great, Roman Emperor Caesar and even India's great prophet Brahma are on record as endorsing the beneficial properties contained in Licorice. Natural licorice has long been known as the "elixir of life," and has recently been proven to be an effective medicine. It has long been used as a beautifying agent for women, and even used as an aphrodisiac. More important, recent research confirms the ancient claims of licorice improving the immune system and that it works as a pain reliever. It also aids in endurance for athletes. The most recent discovery is that licorice benefits in the fight against tooth decay. The botanical name for Licorice means "sweet root" and the remarkable taste has been found to be 50-times sweeter than sugar cane. The Chinese (dating back to over 5,000 years ago) maintained that eating Licorice root would give them strength and endurance. It holds a prominent place in Chinese Herbal combinations since they believe it to be an excellent herb to both flavor food and give benefits in medicines. Licorice has long been used for sore throat treatment. Most people love the taste, thus it is used by professional herbalists to relieve colds, stomach problems skin diseases and liver problems. In the early 16th century, Licorice was cultivated at a Monastery in Pontefract, England. Today that area is considered a major center in the English candy industry. Licorice grows wild in some parts of Europe and Asia. It is a perennial growing from 3 to7 feet tall. It has an extensive branching root system producing straight pieces of wrinkled, fibrous material growing horizontally underground. The roots are brown on the outside and yellow on the inside. Most Licorice products are created from the underground roots of the plant. The roots are peeled, then powdered to make liquid extracts. If you'd like to give Licorice a try, you can obtain Spanish Licorice seeds from Rex's Seedco. http://rexseedco.com They can be found on our Unusual Garden Seeds page. Item # G134 – 5 seeds per package. $2.90. 9) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those who have requested a FREE subscription by signing up at http://rexseedco.com or specifically asked to be added, or are a valued customer of Rex's Seedco. PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. It is never traded or sold to anyone else. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times Click Here or send email to subscribegtt@goalsmint.com To unsubscribe Click Here or send email to unsubscribegtt@goalsmint.com Tom Krueger, Editor and Publisher Rex Gregor, Contributing Editor Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
growers of garden seeds. Many of these farmers bring together ancient
wisdom and modern science so people everywhere may have good health
and enjoyment in life. We are dedicated to providing the best wherever
they are found.
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Most generally, when people are stung by a bee, they are not able
to differentiate what sort of bee stung them. African bees, European
bees. Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Paper Wasps, Mud Douder Wasps, and Flea
bites are all the same to most people – they are just plain uncomfortable!
Hard to believe, but it is estimated that 0.5% to 5% of the population
of the United States, or as many as 13 million people, have insect
venom allergies.
When we talk about drainage, we're not looking into plumbing issues.
Nor are we talking about water runoff from your property. We're talking
about the seepage of water into the soil.
In
the last two issues we've covered caring for your roses. We'd like
to share some of the most gorgeous rose photos we've come across. If
you enjoy roses, you’ll love "
The common housefly can certainly be a nuisance,
as well as a carrier of disease to man and animal. In just two weeks
one housefly can lay more than 1,000 eggs in garbage, kitchen refuse,
piled lawn clippings, or animal matter. In warm weather the life cycle
of a housefly (from egg to adult) is about eight days, and they live
up to 40 days.
Did you know that the licorice plant has given a long and honorable
service to mankind? It dates to the first days of recorded time, and
its history includes the first syllables written by the early Pharaohs
and Prophets.