Phenology

Phenology is the study of plants' and animals' responses to seasonal changes. Bird migrations, insect emergences, and sequences of bloom are all examples of these annual cycles.

"My Little Bees"

For the past few years, I've been documenting the annual emergence, and expansion, of a colony of Colletes, Cellophane Bees, in my garden. Days of rain, which makes the soil workable, followed by temperatures in the 70s, seem to lead to their emergence. Soil temperatures must also be important.

• Cellophane Bees Return, 2010-04-26
• Cellophane Bees Return, 2009-05-06
• Colletes thoracicus (Colletidae), Cellophane Bees, 2008-05-26
• Flickr photo set

Cicadas

Sphecius speciosus, Eastern Cicada Killer, 2009-08-18
Dog-Day Cicadas, 2008-07-11

Fileflies

First Fireflies, 2008-06-12
First Firefly!, 2007-06-12

Magicicada, Periodical Cicadas

Magicicada Brood II emerges, 2009-06-04
I feel so dirty just reading the headline (Brood X!V), 2008-06-05
(Magi)Cicada Watch (Brood XIV), 2008-05-21

Related Content

All Phenology Blog Posts

Links

Project BudBurst
Phenology Web Links, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service