What's in a Name?

Below is a reprint of the article I wrote for the September 2013 issue of The Gardeners Pen (the newsletter of the Oregon Master Gardener Association). 

What is a Master GardenerTM?

By Gail Langellotto

Statewide Coordinator, OSU Extension Master Gardener Program

When someone asks you ‘What is a Master Gardener?’, how do you respond?

Do you say that you’re a volunteer?  Do you say that it’s an Extension Program, or an Oregon State University Program?  Do you say that it’s an educational program?

The way we describe ourselves has a critical impact on how the public views our program.  And, quite honestly, the term ‘Master Gardener’ can be confusing. 

Take, for example, the March 1, 2013 GardenRant.com blog post entitled ‘So What Do We Think of “Master Gardeners”?’.

To paraphrase the post, the word ‘Master’ in ‘Master Gardener’ can lead to problems, such as:

• People thinking it’s similar to “Master Carpenter,” or “Master Electrician”.
• Some volunteers taking the title a little too seriously, and letting it go to their heads.
• People assuming that ‘Master Gardeners’ have received a higher level of training than folks with a university degree in horticulture.

Passionate opinions were expressed, from garden writers and other professionals who believe that Master Gardener volunteers are taking work from them, to folks who have had a bad experience with Master Gardener ‘cliques’ and generalize across all.  Of course, where humans gather, there is always going to be the potential for friction. However, I have found (and many of the commenters on the blog post agree) that Master Gardeners are by and large among the most generous, fun-loving, creative and welcoming folks I have met. 

Master Gardeners (and me) enjoying Mini-College, and annual educational event of the OSU Extension Master Gardener Program and the Oregon Master Gardener Association.

What can you say when someone asks you, ‘What is a Master Gardener?’  Luckily, ‘Building public understanding of the Master Gardener Program’ was identified as a high priority in the 2010 OMGA strategic planning process, and developing a common message was one specific recommendation made.  A communications committee, consisting of myself, Sherry S. (Clackamas County), Mary Jane B. (Lincoln County), Bonnie C. (Douglas County), Jan E. (Central Oregon) and advised by Eric B. (Central Gorge), Toni S. (Central Oregon), Lee Ann L. (Multnomah County), Carol O. (Jackson County) and Alan W. (Yamhill County) was tasked with developing this common message.

We came up with three messages, which can be found on page 5 of the OMGA Chapter Toolkit for Communications Toolkit. One of these messages now appears on the Master Gardener website.

“Master Gardeners are trained volunteers, educated through OSU Extension Service to offer the local community Reliable, Relevant and Reachable gardening information and education opportunities."

• We are reliable, because our gardening advice and education is science-based.
• We are relevant, because unlike information found online, our advice can be customized for each unique gardening situation.
• We are reachable, because you can call us on the phone, email us a question, or visit with us at markets or gardens in your community.

We hope that this phrase will be useful, when you’re telling friends, trainees, clients and others about the Master Gardener Program.  And remember, that their interaction with you will really influence what they think about the Program, in general.

Yellowjacket Calls increase in the Fall

The calls have started.

While mowing the grass, someone gets stung several times by a 'bee'.  What can they do to deal with the problem.

Although it is impossible for me to identify the culprit with 100% confidence, unless I can see a sample of the offending insect (or at least, a photo), I suspect that the assailant is not a bee, but is instead, a yellowjacket.

Yellowjackets forage for sugar and carrion.  You'll find them attracted to your soda-pop, as well as your tuna sandwich.

Here's why.

1. Yellowjackets nest in the ground.  
2. Of the bees that nest in the ground, most do not sting ~ or else their sting is painless.  In our study of bees in Westchester County, NY gardens, Calliopsis, Agopostemon and Andrena bees are solitary, soil nesters.  Solitary bees tend to be very docile, as they don't have a colony to defend.  Lasioglossum and Halitctus bees are eusocial, soil nesters.  These are the 'sweat bees' ~ so called because they have been seen drinking sweat from humans (probably to get some salts).  Although they sometimes (rarely) sting humans, their sting is rated a very low 1.0 on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, making it almost painless.
3. Yellowjacket colonies build in size over the gardening season.  Right about now is when they reach their maximum size, and when they're most noticeable and problematic to gardeners.
4. Multiple stings suggest yellowjackets.  Honey bees can only sting once.  Bumblebees can sting more than once (and may also nest in abandoned rodent burrows in the ground).  But, most people would be able to recognize a large bumblebee, rather than be left wondering what stung them.

So ~ you have yellowjackets.  What can you do?

In my experience and from my reading of the literature, you have two practical options.

1. Leave the nest alone.  The fall is the time of the year when new males and queens will emerge and mate.  The males, with their 'live fast, die young' approach to life will soon bite the dust after mating.  The newly-mated queens fly away to a protected site, where they will spend the winter.  The nest will be abandoned, and will start to break down over the winter.  Nests are almost never used again.  You will not have the same yellowjacket problem, in the same nest, next season.  If you do decide to leave the nest alone, make sure  you mark off the area ~ so that you don't forget where the nest is, and so that visitors to your yard know to avoid that area.  If you have young children (who would not abide by a 'keep out' directive), if you have large pets (who might trigger an aggressive response by the yellowjackets) or if you simply can not stay out of the area, leaving the nest alone may not be an option.
2. Use a commercial wasp or hornet pesticide, during the coolest part of the day.  Wasp sprays tend to be highly pressurized, so that you can spray them at a distance from the nest entrance.  Spraying during the coolest part of the day means that the yellowjackets will be less able to mount a defense against you.  It will be simply too cold for them to move with gusto.  Still, by spraying the nest, you do risk getting stung.  Make sure to spray the entrance of the nest.  This will get the yellowjackets as they fly in and out of the hive.  It will also do the best job of dousing all that reside within.  Don't light your way using one flashlight, which you aim at the entrance of the nest.  This could create a beacon that tells the aggressors exactly where to fly, to protect the nest.  I would wear two layers of thick clothing (jeans with leggings underneath, a tee shirt, with thick sweatshirt or jean jacket over top).  I would tuck my pants into my socks and my shirt into my pants.  This will prevent a yellowjacket from getting under your clothing, where you could be repeatedly stung. Cover your neck, hands, head and eyes, as well.  Yes, you may look like Ralphie from 'A Christmas Story', but better safe then sorry ~ right? [I stand corrected.  It was Randy, and not Ralphie, who was bundled up in winter wear.  Edited September 20, 2013.]

When I'm asked to treat a yellowjacket or bald-faced hornet nest, this is a pretty fair representation of how I dress for battle.

Other options I've seen, but don't particularly like for dealing with a fall fest of yellowjackets include:

1. Trapping the yellowjackets.  At this point in the year, when the nests have built up to a large number of residents, I don't think that trapping will solve the problem.  It may, however, help keep yellowjacket numbers down, early in the gardening season ~ next year.  Use them earlier in the season, if you decide to employ a trap.  Waiting until the fall is likely too late to do any good.
2. Vacuuming them up, in the evening, at the site of the nest.  Hmmm.  I just can't see this one working very well.  I'll let the author of that idea try it out, and let me know how it goes. [Edited September 20, 2013: the one reference I read about vacuuming up the yellowjackets suggested that it could take two or more hours to treat the large nests that are characteristic of the fall season.  Standing on top of a yellowjackets' nest for two hours, to hold a vacuum at the nest entrance and try and suck up all that come out?  It still doesn't sound like a practical idea to me.]
3. Pouring soapy water down the entrance of the nest, also at night (when temperatures are cool).  Soapy water helps to break down the waxy cuticle of an insect's exoskeleton ~ but I just can't see this being an efficient way to deal with yellowjackets.  Once again, I'll let someone else try this one out, and let me know how it goes. [Edited September 20, 2013:  I've had several people tell me that soapy water, followed by boiling water poured down into the nest, has worked for them.  They note that when performed during the day, they did get stung.  Soapy water, alone, is not likely to work ~ as soap works best against small, soft-bodied insects.  The soap literally degrades the waxy cuticle of an insect's exoskeleton, the same way it helps wash away grease on your dishes.  Thick-bodied insects aren't as prone to soapy water as are things like aphids or thrips.  But, followed by boiling water ~ it likely does the trick.  The soap, acting as a surfactant, will help the boiling water spread thoroughly throughout the nest.  Because you'll have to get up close to the nest to pour in the soapy water, and then the boiling water, prepare for a high probability of agitated yellowjackets.]

To prevent future infestations, consider whether or not you have a rodent problem in your yard.  Often, abandoned rodent burrows are used as nests.  Fill the burrows, or focus on the rodent issue, and the yellowjacket problem will likely subside.

Some great references on yellowjackets include:

• Washington State University publication on yellowjackets and paper wasps. 
• University of California Statewide IPM Progrma publication on yellowjackets

Does Wearing Perfume Confuse Bees?

This weekend, the following snippet in the Oregonian's Home and Garden section caught my eye.

Another reason to avoid artificial fragrance: It can confuse bees. Bees are vital to the natural world  thanks to the important work they do to pollinate flowers. They are attracted to the sweet-smelling scent from actual flowers, and are also attracted to artificial scents found in body washes, perfumes, shampoo, air fresheners and scented candles. This confusion by bees can lead to fewer pollinated flowers. One way to help is to choose fragrance-free options whenever possible.

-- Danny Seo, eco expert, Universal Press Syndicate

Is this really true? Will my locally-sourced and produced lavender soap draw bees away from the real deal?

As someone who uses lavender-scented soap and a kukui-nut scented lotion, could I be responsible for the current pollinator crisis?

Not likely. Bees find flowers by scent, but they also orient by sight. And, bees are remarkably good at 'remembering' which floral visits were profitable and which were a waste of time.  In tests of honey bees, they performed remarkably well at discriminating among similar scents, to hone in on the scent that was previously associated with a 20% sucrose reward.  Of the 1848 odor pairs, the bees were able to choose the 'reward' scent' 97.0%  of the time (1793 odor pairs). Only seven odor pairs (i.e. 0.4% of all odor pairs) were not distinguished by experimental bees trained to a given scent.  The other 2.6% of scent 'failures' (48 odor pairs) could be attributed to a single poor-performing bee.

Other studies of solitary bees have found that you can get a response from their antennae to certain scents, but that this doesn't mean that they'll visit the source of the scent.  Visual stimuli (how a flower looks) and previous floral rewards (if a flower gives nectar and/or pollen) matter.

So . . . even if we use scented shampoos, lotions, etc., we don't really look like flowers, and we probably don't provide a nectar reward.  Bees are unlikely to be fooled.

My favorite test of this topic was presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America, by my friends John Carlson  and Mark Fox.  The abstract of their presentation, entitled 'Is that a person or a flower?  Experimental evaluation of the standard recommendations given by physicians to venom-allergic patients regarding foraging Hymenoptera'.

Could this shirt put you at risk? Photo Credit:  Dayna Inc., the UnHawaiian Shirt Company.

Physicians give patients with life-threatening allergies to Hymenoptera venom, advice regarding avoidance of defensive stings as well as avoidance of foraging workers. Some of this advice is in contrast to recommendations given by USDA and other organizations that employ entomologists: avoid wearing bright colors, floral patterns,and perfume that might attract foraging insects. The likelihood of a bee or wasp to alight upon clothing was tested in haphazardly chosen locations around New Orleans, LA over the summer of 2009. Dark clothing and bright, floral patterned clothing were placed on the ground and observed for 10 minutes. Perfume was applied to all clothing for a second 10 minute observation period. Control plots were observed during each replicate to ensure that foraging Hymenoptera were active on flowers at the location. No species from which allergy has  been reported alighted on any article of clothing for the duration of the study. These results were expected based on the known sensory cues used by social Hymenoptera in locating food. In light of these findings, venom-allergic patients should not be advised to avoid perfume or bright clothing, especially because dark clothing has been associated with stings from workers defending honey bee colonies.

Mark and John used perfumes with the highest concentration of natural floral scents.  They purchased the gaudiest floral shirts they could find ~ as well as shirts with 'realistic' looking flowers.  Alas, the shirts did not receive any bee or wasp visitors.