First, they never gave their consent. Second, only a few have social skills because most are solitary. Third, they have three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. And, fourth, none of these pin-ups will ever run for Miss America or promote world peace.
These pin-ups are North American bees and the calendar is appropriately titled the "North American Bee Calendar." Miss January is a honey bee; Miss May, a sweat bee; Miss August, a squash bee; and Miss December, a cuckoo bee.
"It's our second annual calendar, a project aimed at protecting pollinators, raising public awareness and generating funds to carry on the work of The Great Sunflower Project and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation," says native bee enthusiast and calendar project coordinator Celeste Ets-Hokin of the San Francisco Bay Area. "Most of these bees are commonly found and important pollinators."
This is the cover of the 2011 North American Bee Calendar, a project headed by native bee enthusiast Celeste Ets-Hokin and featuring the work of noted insect photographer Rollin Coville. Proceeds will benefit the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the Great Sunflower Project. Coville has a doctorate in entomology from UC Berkeley and Ets-Hokin has a bachelor's degree in zoology from UC Berkeley.
The calendar, measuring 9x12, features close-up photos by noted insect photographer Rollin Coville, who received his doctorate in entomology from UC Berkeley. He has been photographing insects--and spiders--for more than 25 years.
This is January's photo in the North American Bee Calendar shows a honey bee heading toward a tower of jewels. This image was taken in Vacaville by Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Davis Department of Entomology. January is the only month devoted to the honey bee. Others months showcase bees such as bumble bees, sweat bees and leafcutter bees and are the work of Bay Area insect photographer Rollin Coville.
The calendar spotlights a different bee genus each month, with notes on preferred plants, nesting needs, and guidance on how to identify the genus, explains author Ets-Hokin, who holds a degree in zoology from UC Berkeley. Bees appearing in the calendar and the scientific names are:
January: Honey Bee (Apis)
February: Bumble Bee (Bombus)
March: Digger Bee (Habropoda)
April: Mason Bee (Osmia)
May: Sweat Bee (Lasioglossum)
June: Utra Green Sweat Bee (Agapostemon)
July: Leafcutter Bee (Megachile)
August: Squash Bee (Peponapis)
September: Long-horn Bee (Melissodes)
October: Carder Bee (Anthidium)
November: Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa)
December: Cuckoo Bee (Epeolus)
Matthew Shepherd, senior conservation associate of the Xerces Society, and Ets-Hokin served as editors, and Miguel Barbosa as the graphic designer. Five scientists shared their research expertise: Neal Williams of UC Davis; Gordon Frankie and Claire Kremen of UC Berkeley; and Rachael Winfree of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. In addition, Shepherd and Ets-Hokin, along with Kathy Keatley Garvey of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, contributed photos.
Calendars are $15 each, which includes shipping anywhere in the United States. The international price is $18, shipping included. The deadline to submit all orders is Tuesday, Nov. 30. Calendars will arrive by early December. Orders may be placed by accessing the Xerces website at www.xerces.org/calendar or The Great Sunflower Project website. The calendar can be previewed HERE..
For discount rates for 25 calendars or more, contact Ets-Hokin at celeste.ets@comcast.net.
This story was written by Kathy Keatley Garvey