Waukesha County Home

HOME APRIL 2018 2 Distributed by: ©2018 by Conley Media Waukesha County Home is published monthly by Conley Media - Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. A publication of Conley Media Sales Director: Jim Baumgart 262/513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Editor: Dan Muckelbauer 262/513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com Home Volume 7 ■ Number 4 ■ April 2018 Call Today for an Appointment We Offer Free Estimates on: • Bathroom Design • Complete Bathroom Remodeling 117 MacArthur Drive Mukwonago, WI 53149 Telephone: 262-363-7146 www.martensplumbing.com With just one call to our In-House Designers, you can be assured that from start to finish, our highly qualified staff will transform your dream bathroom into a reality! 60+ Years IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD Genesee Nursery and Landscaping S29 W31189 Hwy. DE, Waukesha 5 Miles west of Waukesha on DE (Sunset Dr.) Kerry "Buzz" Elwood 262.968.4383 www.GeneseeNurser y.com Locally Grown Trees, Shrubs and Perennials. Sourced from all Northern Grown Stock. Hours: Saturday & Sunday 9-5 or by Appointment Boughs & Grapevine Wreaths for Christmas! Handcrafted rustic/artistic furniture - one of a kind pieces! Rough Sawn lumber - large variety of sizes & species with unique character! See website for samples $ 10 OFF ANY NURSERY PURCHASE OF $50 OR MORE Not valid with other offers. Valid only with this coupon. Genesee Nursery and Landscaping 259984003 Honeybees flitting from flower to flower are one of the first signs that warm weath- er has arrived. Honeybees are a welcome presence in the garden, pollinating plants and contributing to local honey supplies. Despite their importance in the ecosys- tem, honeybees are in grave danger. In 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama created a task force comprised of various agencies to address the growing issue of rapidly dimin- ishing honeybees and other pollinating insects. This initiative was a response to reports from American beekeepers indicat- ing hive deaths have been on the rise, grave- ly affecting the honeybee population. Hon- eybees pollinate many fruit trees, nut plants and vegetables, playing a crucial role for many nations' food industries. In addition to government involvement and honeybee conservation methods designed by environmental agencies, there are many things that regular citizens and homeowners can do to protect honeybees every summer. The Environmental Protec- tion Agency and the Pesticide Action Net- work offer these tips. ■ Use caution when applying pesticides to home gardens, especially when bees are likely to be flying. If you must apply pesti- cides, do so only after dusk. ■ Stagger your planting throughout the growing season. Rather than planting everything at once, stagger planting for flowers and other plants that have blooms. This gives bees plenty of pollen sources throughout early summer and into fall. ■ Provide a clean source of water. A small garden water feature or a rainwater collection is enough to provide bees with a drink when needed. ■ Honeybees and other bees require some sort of shelter. Dead trees and plants pro- vide adequate shelter; so don't be so tempt- ed to pull out all of the undergrowth in the name of aesthetics. ■ Plant a garden that will attract bees. Resources for planting a bee-friendly gar- den can be found by visiting http://www.panna.org/sites/default/files/ Bee-FriendlyGardening_PAN.pdf. ■ If you come across a hive, leave it alone. It's best not to disturb a hive and honeybee colony. If bees are located where they can become a nuisance, contact a local bee expert to see if the hive can be moved. ■ Think about becoming a beekeeper. There are many different resources avail- able to help you get started. Bees are being threatened at an alarming rate. Educating yourself about what to do to protect honeybees can help to restore the valuable honeybee population. Why honeybees need protection from pesticides and other threats Submitted photo Honeybee are crucial pollinators that need to be kept in mind when gardening.

• Cover