Tag: pollinators

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February 9 Chapter Meeting (in-person and virtual): “Native Host Plants for Texas Moths” with Jim & Lynne Weber

[Updated 1/25/2023 with news about elevator. PD]

Please note:  We received notice that the elevator at the library is out for several weeks. It may not be available for our February 9 meeting.

Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, February 9,  2023, when our featured topic will be Native Host Plants for Texas Moths with Jim & Lynne Weber.  Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.  Please note: This month our speakers will be joining us via Zoom.

image of book cover

About our topic:  Want to attract beautiful and beneficial pollinators like moths to your garden? Learn about the special relationships that exist between several native plant species and the moths that use them! Explore why native plants are essential to healthy ecosystems, the role of nectar and host plants, and how these insects find the desired host plant species upon which to lay their eggs. This talk will leave you with the knowledge and resources needed to encourage and appreciate a wider diversity of caterpillars, butterflies, and moths in a Texas native plant garden.

About our speakers:  Both Lynne and Jim Weber are recently retired from 30+ year, accomplished careers at IBM. They are certified Texas Master Naturalists and Lynne is a past president of the Capital Area chapter. The Webers are dedicated naturalists who have been studying Texas natural history since they moved to Austin in 1989. They have served on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) as well as on the boards of the Big Bend Natural History Association, the Big Bend Conservancy, and the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute. They are long-time members of NPSOT (Austin chapter). Their volunteer work includes conducting Golden-cheeked Warbler and Colima Warbler surveys, leading guided hikes, restoring native habitat, mapping and removing invasive plants, and they are stewards of an 8-acre preserve that is part of the BCP.

The Weber’s nature photography and writing appears on Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/webersaustin/) and on their monthly blog (http://naturewatchaustin.blogspot.com) as well as in several nature publications. They have co-authored Nature Watch Austin (2012), Nature Watch Big Bend (2017), Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies (2018, a 2021 NPSOT Carroll Abbott Award Winner), and Native Host Plants for Texas Moths (2022), all published by Texas A&M University Press. The Webers are currently at work on a fifth book, tentatively entitled Naturalist’s Austin: A Field Guide to the Flora and Fauna of Central Texas, highlighting nearly 700 species of plants and animals in the region.

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At every meeting, we give away a book — about native plants or the meeting topic — to one randomly chosen in-person meeting attendee and one Zoom attendee!

Have an idea for a speaker?  Let Program Leader Susie Hickman know via  email to wilco-chapter@npsot.org.

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NPSOT-Williamson County meetings are free and open to the public. We hope you attend!  Meetings may be in person, virtual, or both, so be sure to check details in the meeting announcement. Meetings are announced on our website, our calendar and Facebook.

  • When:  We meet the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. A short business meeting begins at 7:00 PM followed by our guest presentation.  (For in-person meetings, doors open at 6:30 PM. Check out the seed swap board, get advice from expert members, or just visit.)
  • Where:  In person and via Zoom.  When in person, we normally meet at the Georgetown Public Library.  Exceptions are noted in our meeting announcements, on our calendar, and in Facebook.
  • Monthly Meeting Guest Speakers: See past and upcoming topics at this link.
  • Recordings: Find video recordings of previous meetings and field trips on our YouTube channel at this link.
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The 2022 Texas Pollinator BioBlitz, Oct 7-23

It’s time for Texas Parks & Wildlife’s 7th annual BioBlitz! 

What is a BioBlitz?

A BioBlitz is an event in which volunteer scientists, families, students, and the community help complete a biological survey during a specified period of time. The Texas Pollinator BioBlitz is hosted by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and focuses on our pollinators and their habitats.

How do I participate?

This year’s event runs from October 7 through October 23, 2022. Find lots of information and how to register to log your observations on the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department page at this link.

image of monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus – Monarch Butterfly. Photo by Bob Kamper.
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Program Report for March 12: Importance of Honey Bees

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— by Nancy Pumphrey

Jodi McCumber from Jackass Honey Farms in Liberty Hill, TX presented so much information on bees and pollinator plants.  When you live in the country the saying goes you wear lots of hats to make a living. Well, Jodi is no exception to that rule.  (Note: Due to the current health crisis, the meeting was sparsely attended with members and newcomers seated with plenty of distance from each other.)

Jodi is a certified beekeeper. In her business, she removes beehives and swarms from unwanted places and specializes in removing Africanized bee swarms.  She makes soap, honey products such as salves, lotions and gift baskets to sell. As if that was not enough, she also runs their Jackass Honey Farms gift shop, gives tours, and home schools her son.

She has 335 hives throughout the area. When she started growing wildflowers for the bees on her farm, she found the monarchs were also frequenting her place and decided to make it a Certified Monarch Habitat. Some of the most important sources of food for the bees are dandelions in early spring, horsemint, mealy blue sage, Gregg’s mistflower and white mistflower. She also grows sage, apple and pear trees, lavender, and rosemary for the bees and other pollinators.  We were able to have a lively discussion regarding natives and non-natives in relation to bee food and the importance of not using invasive plants but finding a native alternative instead.

Jodi and her son announce dates for tours of their farm on her Facebook page or by email. Just go to www.jackasshoneyfarms.com and sign up.

Here are just a few of the interesting facts we learned about bees.

  • Bees, except the queen, live 4-6 weeks.
  • Queens can live over 8 years and lay 700-2500 eggs a DAY. The Queen has other bees who wash them, feed them, etc. because they are so busy laying eggs.
  • Bees don’t fly in the rain or fog.
  • You might see them cling together or to flowers until it is dry enough to return to the hive.
  • Beekeepers move bees to different places to pollinate a crop, such as almonds in California, but only 50-60% of the bees arrive back home due to pesticide and insecticide use in the fields.
  • Bees need water, so put rocks or sponges in a shallow bird bath so they can land on something to get a drink. They also like a little salt or sugar in the water.
  • A bee can fly 5 miles to find food or water.

To learn more about bees Jodi recommends the Netflix documentary “Hive Alive” for a close up of bee behavior.

Jodi brought lots of products for us to taste. She is available to talk at meetings and at schools. Contact her at 512-484-1101.

You can see the March 12, 2020 business presentation slides here.

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