Polk County Living
8A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 13, 2016
Mason bees buzz to life in early srping
For mason bees, the wait
for their first meal is a long
one, six months if it’s a day.
There’s no TV, no smart-
phone, not even a book to
while away the time as
these solitary bees hang out
in their tight cocoons wait-
ing for the cool tempera-
tures of early spring to
break them out of lethargy,
to convene at the floral
banquet waiting for them
among the branches of fruit
trees.
And because honeybees
and other pollinators
haven’t made an appear-
ance yet, there’s more
sweetness for the native
mason bees.
“Mason bees fill a spot in
the season when other pol-
linators like honeybees are
not out,” said Brooke Ed-
munds, a horticulturist with
Oregon State University Ex-
tension Service. “They’re re-
ally important for fruit
trees, especially in cool, wet
areas.”
After emerging in March
— perhaps February this
year because of the mild
winter — the small, bluish
bees start foraging for food
for the next generation and
combing for suitable nest-
ing sites.
“They’re solitary, non-ag-
gressive bees, so they’re
very different from honey-
b e e s ; t h e y d o n’t f o r m
hives,” said Edmunds, au-
thor of the new OSU Exten-
sion publication Nurturing
Mason Bees in Your Back-
yard in Western Oregon.
Instead, mason bees,
most commonly the native
blue orchard mason bee
(Osmia lignaria), look for
cracks and crevices that fit
their need for small spaces
where they crawl in and lay
eggs. They might find the
appropriate spots in wood
McCrae
K YM
P OKORNY
Alyssa Michelle Dion Lee McCrae was born at 12:26
a.m. on April 1 to Jennifer Waldron and Paul McCrae, both
of Monmouth, at the Salem Family Birth Center.
She weighed 9 pounds and was 21 inches long.
Alyssa joins Christian, 15, Adriana, 11, Mahala, 10,
Alivia, 4 and Jone, 1.
Grandparents are David and Thelma Waldron, of Dal-
las; James and Geri McCrae, of Arizona; and Bruce and
Blanch Jaller, of Virginia.
Your
Garden
bored by other insects, sid-
ing on buildings or nesting
blocks filled with tubes pro-
vided by gardeners.
“Gardeners can purchase
cocoons containing adult
bees as a way of introduc-
ing new mason bee popula-
tions to their yards,” Ed-
munds said. “Unfortunate-
ly, most garden centers and
mail-order sources are
probably sold out by now.
But you can buy nesting
houses and tubes any time.
Place these in your garden
and you might get lucky
and they could nest in them
this year.”
To hedge your bets, pro-
vide what mason bees
need. Fill homemade or
purchased nesting houses
with cocoons in late winter
or spring. You can get elab-
orate and remove the co-
coons each fall, clean them
of frass and mites, store
them in the refrigerator
over winter and reinsert
them in the tubes in spring.
Or choose the easy way;
hang the tubes and wait for
the bees to find them. In-
structions for both methods
are included in Edmunds’
guide.
By far the mason bee’s
preferred food comes from
early-blooming fruit trees
like apples, pears, plums
and cherries. So plant one
or two. If you’ve got a small
lot, choose columnar or
dwarf cultivars.
Though not as dear to the
bee’s palate, other plants
qualify to attract them.
Look to crabapples, flower-
West
PHOTO BY RAMESH SAGILI
In three months, the female mason fee forages for food,
finds a nest and produces the next generation, all while
pollinating fruit trees and other plants.
ing currant, elderberry,
huckleberr y, forsythia,
pieris and Oregon grape.
They’ll head straight for
dandelion, Edmunds said,
which are in good supply
this time of year.
Since mason bees travel
only short distances, about
200-300 feet, their favorite
plants need to be planted
near to nesting spots or
away they’ll go. You’ll also
need to provide small
patches of clay mud, some-
thing in abundance in the
Willamette Valley. But if
you’ve covered your soil
with mulch, it’s a good idea
to push away a little bit to
create a mud pool for them.
If the soil dries out, give it a
misting. Alternately, put a
tray out and fill it with
moist clay soil.
The female mason bees
use the clay soil to wall up
their eggs, which are de-
posited in the tubes or
crevices with nectar and
pollen they’ve rolled into
little balls, Edmunds ex-
plained. They’ll continue to
alternate wall, food, egg
and wall until they come to
the end of the tube or
crevice and then wall it up
for the next eight months.
The eggs develop into small
larva that spin cocoons
where the adults form.
Come spring when temper-
atures rise to 50 to 60 de-
grees, the adults break
through the cocoon, chew
through the clay and fly out
to start the process all over
again.
In their short three-
month life, these single-
minded bees do an impor-
tant job for gardeners. Most
significantly they efficiently
pollinate prized fruit trees,
giving a markedly increased
yield. But consider a more
altruistic reason, Edmunds
said. Mason bees, like other
beneficial insects, help di-
versify the garden, leading
to a healthier backyard
ecosystem, healthier hu-
mans and a healthier plan-
et.
MI TOWN
We’ve e n j oye d s o m e
beautiful springtime weath-
er here in MI Town, which
has given us the opportuni-
ty to weed lawns, prepare
gardens for planting, walk
around town and see what’s
new in all the community
shops and stores. The apple
trees are blooming and the
lilacs are just beginning to
share their delicate flowers
with all of us. We’re sharing
our early morning walks
with butterflies and bird-
songs and the occasional
rat-tat-tat of a neighbor-
hood woodpecker.
—
April is both Child Abuse
Prevention and Pet Appreci-
ation Month. At first glance,
this appears to be a no-
brainer, because we all
want to believe that chil-
dren and pets enhance our
lives and make every day
worth living — and for most
of us, they definitely do.
BIRTHS
P ATTY
T AYLOR
D UTCHER
Columnist
Sometimes, though people
are over-stressed for many
reasons, whether its unem-
ployment, poverty, drugs or
alcohol abuse, and they
take out their frustrations
on family members. Maybe
the dog takes a bite out of a
rug or the cat barfs in the
middle of your lap. Or your
toddler pulls the lamp off
the table and it all comes
crashing down. Most of us
who have reached a certain
age have experienced these
things — and much worse
— but it’s not always easy to
take a few minutes to calm-
ly assess the situation with-
out wanting to just strike
out at what, or who, is with-
in reach. That impulsive ac-
tion can bring about life-
changing consequences
and tragedy to everyone in-
volved.
—
Polk County’s Health De-
partment has resources
available for families and
individuals who need some
help to get through stressful
situations. The crisis inter-
vention telephone line can
be reached at 503-623-9289,
and is staffed with people
who can help. There are
mental health ser vices
available for adults and chil-
dren, addiction services, and
drug and alcohol treatment.
Check the website
www.co.polk.or.us to find a
link for some answers and
much-needed assistance
when you feel you’re at the
end of your rope.
—
This week is National Li-
brary Week (April 11-16),
and Independence and
Monmouth libraries are of-
fering Food for Fines, which
gives readers the option of
paying overdue book fines
with canned food. For each
can of food donated, $1 will
be deducted from your fine.
Your book fines are taken
care of, and our local food
bank benefits to help fami-
lies in our communities.
Please check with each li-
brary about what foods can
be donated, and please
don’t bring dented or unla-
beled cans for donation.
Please vote to help the
Monmouth Public Library
receive a grant for more
children’s programs and
even a children’s garden.
You can vote once a day,
every day until Monday at
www.seedsofchangegrant.c
om, Find a garden: Mon-
mouth, Oregon, and cast
your vote.
Congratulations! Jimmie & Sammie
on your 5th Anniversary of
DIAMONDS GARDEN
Cuisine the equal of Hong Kong or
mainland China right
here in Dallas,
Oregon!
Jacob Bentley West was born at 11:24 p.m. on April 1 to
Bobbie Palmer and Michael West, both of West Salem, at
the Salem Family Birth Center.
He weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 18 inches
long.
Jacob joins Michael, 19, Jonathon, 16, Robert, 11, and
Ashley, 7.
Hernandez Romero
Gabriel Haniel Hernandez Romero was born at 5:40
p.m. on March 27 to Maria Romero and Heliverio Hernan-
dez, both of Independence, at the Silverton Family Birth
Center.
He weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and was 20 inches
long.
Gabriel joins Jessica, 16, and Gerardo, 10.
Grandparents are Concepcion Valtierra and Jose
Romero, and Rocina Rosales and Cristino Hernandez.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Continued from page 7A
—
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
• Dallas Wingdingers RC Flying Club — 7 p.m., Whitworth
Elementary School library, 1151 SE Miller Ave., Dallas. 503-623-
7288.
• Polk County Coin Club — 7 p.m., Monmouth Senior Cen-
ter, 180 Warren St. S., Monmouth. 503-362-9123.
• Overeaters Anonymous — Noon to 1 p.m., Salem Health
West Valley, 525 SE Washington St., Dallas. Support group
meets in the conference room immediately inside the front
doors.
—
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
• Helping Hands Emergency Food Bank — 10 a.m. to noon,
Monmouth Christian Church, 959 Church St. W., Monmouth.
For eligible community members; available every Wednesday.
541-404-6517.
• Willamette Valley Food Assistance Program Food Bank
— 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., 888 Monmouth Cutoff Road, Building E,
Dallas. Weekly distribution for eligible community members.
503-831-5634.
• Day-2-Day Diabetes Support Group — 3 to 4 p.m., West
Valley Hospital (main conference room inside main entrance),
525 SE Washington St., Dallas. 503-623-7323.
• Bingo at the Farm — 6:30 p.m., Rogue Farms Hopyard,
3590 Wigrich Road, Independence. All ages welcome. Free;
food and beverages available for purchase. 503-838-9813.
• Brew and BS: The Old Testament — 7 p.m., St. Thomas
Episcopal Church, 1486 SW Levens St., Dallas. A lecture series
on the Old Testament. Bring brew of choice — coffee, tea, chai,
beer, wine, cider. 435-503-4304.
See something interesting happening
in Polk County? Call us at 503-623-2373.
We check out your news tips!
Matinees are all shows
before 6pm. New pricing for
matinees are: Adult $7.25
Children $6.75 • Senior $7.00
Pricing does not reflect
3D showings.
Solution on Page 3A
Friday - Saturday April 15 - April 16
DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT (Digital) (PG13)
(1:50)
HARDCORE HENRY (Digital) (R)
(11:30 4:30)
ZOOTOPIA (Digital 2D) (PG)
(11:40 2:10 4:45)
BATMAN V SUPERMAN:
DAWN OF JUSTICE (Digital) (PG13)
(11:35 2:50)
JUNGLE BOOK (Digital 2D) (PG)
(11:35 2:05 4:35)
THE BOSS (Digital) (R)
(12:00 2:25 4:50)
CRIMINAL (Digital) (R)
(11:45 2:15 4:50)
GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 (Digital) (PG)
(1:35)
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (Digital) (PG)
(4:15)
BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT (Digital) (PG13) (11:50 2:10 4:40)
6:45
9:20
7:20 9:40
6:10
7:05
7:15
7:30
6:50
9:30
7:10 9:40
Sunday April 17
Pencil
us
in!
www.polkio.com
It’s that time again! Advertise in the 2016-2017 Polk County Telephone Directory!
New to the area? Number change? Give us a call at the Itemizer-Observer 503-623-2373
DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT (Digital) (PG13)
(1:50)
HARDCORE HENRY (Digital) (R)
(11:30 4:30)
ZOOTOPIA (Digital 2D) (PG)
(11:40 2:10 4:45)
BATMAN V SUPERMAN:
DAWN OF JUSTICE (Digital) (PG13)
(11:35 2:50)
JUNGLE BOOK (Digital 2D) (PG)
(11:35 2:05 4:35)
THE BOSS (Digital) (R)
(12:00 2:25 4:50)
CRIMINAL (Digital) (R)
(11:45 2:15 4:50)
GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 (Digital) (PG)
(1:35)
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (Digital) (PG)
(4:15)
BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT (Digital) (PG13) (11:50 2:10 4:40)
6:45
7:20
6:10
7:05
7:15
7:30
6:50
7:10
Monday - Thursay April 18 - April 21
DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT (Digital) (PG13)
HARDCORE HENRY (Digital) (R)
ZOOTOPIA (Digital 2D) (PG)
BATMAN V SUPERMAN:
DAWN OF JUSTICE (Digital) (PG13)
JUNGLE BOOK (Digital 2D) (PG)
THE BOSS (Digital) (R)
CRIMINAL (Digital) (R)
GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 (Digital) (PG)
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (Digital) (PG)
BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT (Digital) (PG13)
(1:50) 6:45
(4:30)
(2:10 4:45) 7:20
(2:50)
(2:05 4:35)
(2:25 4:50)
(2:15 4:50)
(1:35)
(4:15)
(2:10 4:40)
9:20
9:25
9:30
9:55
6:10
7:05
7:15
7:30
6:50
7:10