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[email protected] · 03-09-2009, 02:00 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

On Thu, 3 Sep 2009 06:45:21 -0400, phorbin wrote:

In article , says...

You can spray with pyrethrum which is a fairly benign contact insecticide
that will get the aphids. Spray by moonlight (or torchlight) if possible.
Not because of the magical properties of moonlight but because the bees will
all be home in bed and the air is often more still at night which reduces
overspray.

_Most_ bees will be home in bed.

Bees that get caught away from the hive in the evenings, sleep on the
flowers; expecially when the weather is cool.

From my observation other pollinators including solitary bees will also
sleep on blossoms.

There are times around here when every other flower seems to have a
sleepy bee in it.

And a few mornings ago there was a bee with its head buried in a
marigold. --I watched it for awhile, wondered if it was dead and poked
it. It kept its head buried, swivelled one leg around, sorta waved it,
swivelled the leg back into landing position and stayed where it was.

I've found bees sleeping on zinnias many times.