In animal welfare news, gardeners may help bees by planting red and striped flowers. Dr. Cathie Martin and colleagues of the John Innes Center in Norwich, Great Britain, observed the patterns of native bumblebees feeding on a plot of snapdragons. The scientists discovered that red flowers and those with striped veins were visited significantly more often than other ones. Dr. Martin explained, “Stripes provide a visual guide for pollinators, directing them to the central landing platform and the entrance to the flower where the nectar and pollen can be found.”

Our thankfulness, Dr. Martin and fellow researchers, for your very interesting results. May they assist us in creating more inviting places for these industrious co-inhabitants to land and thrive for eons to come.