The Challenge Factory discussion
Save the Bees!
>
Michelle's Empty Nest Saves the Bees
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
Plant a Bee Garden
Keeping a tidy garden may actually backfire for bees. This is because it removes items and sites that are usually used by the insects. Only honeybees form hives, while 70% of the rest of bees nest in the ground and 30% use cracks and crevices as their bee home.
One of the largest threats to bees is a lack of safe habitat where they can build homes and find a variety of nutritious food sources. You can create a safe haven for bees with pollen- and nectar-rich flowers by planting a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and bloom times. You don’t need a ton of space to grow bee-friendly plants — gardens can be established across yards and in window boxes, flower pots, and mixed into vegetable gardens. Seek out locally native plants as often as possible as many bee species have coevolved to feed exclusively on native flowers and need them to survive.
Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC is not tidy.
2. Read a book with a flower pot, window box or other small garden on the cover.
3. Read a book with the word "crack" in the text.
Optional Spell Out: SAFE HAVEN
REMEMBER: Books completed before July 1st will not count for this challenge.
TASK: 3. Read a book with the word "crack" in the text.BOOK/AUTHOR: The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
PAGES: 421
DATE READ: 7-5-2024
HOW IT FITS: Page 49; "shined her light through the crack. "
TASK: 2. Read a book with a flower pot, window box or other small garden on the cover.BOOK/AUTHOR: The Wife in the Photo by Emily Shiner
PAGES: 288
DATE READ: 7-13-2024
HOW IT FITS:
Potted plant on porch and small flower garden around porch
TASK: 1. Read a book where the MC is not tidy.BOOK/AUTHOR:
by Kathy ReichsPAGES: 532
DATE READ: 7-17-2024
HOW IT FITS: Page 402; "Why so messy?"
Mod
Go Chemical-Free for Bees
Regardless of which flowers you plant, avoid using pesticides and herbicides. Synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees, wreaking havoc on their sensitive systems. A garden can thrive without these harmful chemicals — in fact, one goal of a bee-friendly garden is to build a sustainable ecosystem that keeps itself in check by fostering beneficial populations. If you must use a pesticide, choose a targeted organic product, and always avoid applying pesticides directly to the soil or when flowers are blooming.
Tasks:
1. Read a book by an author whose initials are NOT found in the word PESTICIDE.
2. Read a book where the MC is very sensitive (your interpretation).
3. Read a book with the word "organic" in the text.
Optional Spell Out: SUSTAINABLE
BOOK/AUTHOR: The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan
PAGES: 327
DATE READ: 8-7-2024
HOW IT FITS: G.M. not in PESTICIDE
Spell Out OptionFor spellouts, you may use the first letter of the first word of the title (using or omitting an opening A/An/The) or the first letter of the author's first or last name.
S: Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire 8-6-2024
U: Under Your Spell by Laura Wood 8-10-2024
S: Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson 8-10-2024
T: The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan 8-7-2024
A: A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny 8-6-2024
I: The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand 8-10-2024
N: A Shot in the Bark: A Dog Park Mystery by C.A. Newsome 8-30-2024
A: A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole 8-9-2024
B: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck 8-8-2024
L: Vamped by Lucienne Diver 8-11-2024
E: Everything's Relative by Jenna McCarthy 8-11-2024
Mod
Provide Trees for Bees
Did you know that bees get most of their nectar from trees? When a tree blooms, it provides thousands of blossoms to feed from. Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but also an essential habitat. Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while natural wood cavities make excellent shelters. Native trees such as maples, redbuds, and black cherry all attract and support bees. You can help bolster bee food sources and habitat by caring for and planting trees. Trees are also great at sequestering carbon, managing our watersheds, and cooling air temperatures.
Tasks:
1. Read a book with the word "essential" in the text.
2. Read a book where a character is a good cook (food source) for other characters.
3. Read a book with a shelter of some kind on the cover (tent, lean-to, etc.)
Optional Spell Out: BLOSSOMS
TASK: 1. Read a book with the word "essential" in the text.BOOK/AUTHOR: Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
PAGES: 315
DATE READ: 9-2-2024
HOW IT FITS: Page 248; "Because they were such an essential part of our lives"
TASK: 3. Read a book with a shelter of some kind on the cover (tent, lean-to, etc.)BOOK/AUTHOR: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
PAGES: 338
DATE READ: 9-5-2024
HOW IT FITS:
houses on cover
TASK: 2. Read a book where a character is a good cook (food source) for other characters.BOOK/AUTHOR: The Book That Matters Most
PAGES: 358
DATE READ: 9-10-2024
HOW IT FITS: MC Ava and her mother were both good cooks.
Mod
Create a Bee Bath
Bees work up quite a thirst foraging and collecting nectar. Fill a shallow bird bath or bowl with clean water, and arrange pebbles and stones inside so that they break the water’s surface. Bees will land on the stones and pebbles to take a long, refreshing drink.
Tasks:
1. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word WATER.
2. Read a book where a character becomes very thirsty.
3. Read a book where the MC is very shallow.
Optional Spell Out: REFRESHING
Spell Out OptionFor spellouts, you may use the first letter of the first word of the title (using or omitting an opening A/An/The) or the first letter of the author's first or last name.
R: Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson 9-11-2024
E: Defenseless by Elisa Dane 9-21-2024
F: Christmas Caramel Murder by Joanne Fluke 9-12-2024
R: Motion for Murder by Kelly Rey 9-15-2024
E: Acts of Love by Emily Listfield 9-22-2024
S: Doctor Glas by Hjalmar Söderberg 9-13-2024
H: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly 9-13-2024
I: The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change your Life and Achieve Real Happiness by Ichiro Kishimi 9-14-2024
N: Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book by Nancy N. Rue 9-16-2024
G: Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown 9-18-2024
Done with this spell-out. 😊
Mod
Protect Ground Nesting Bees
Did you know that 70% of the world’s 20,000 bees — including bumblebees — live underground. There, they build nests and house their young, who overwinter and emerge each spring. Ground nesting bees need bare, mulch-free, well-drained, protected soil in a sunny area to create and access their nests. Leave an untouched section for ground nesting bees in your garden!
Tasks:
1. Read a book that has a bare yard in at least one scene.
2. Read a book whose author's initials are in the word UNTOUCHED.
3. Read a book with a character who builds a nest (can be a figurative nest if the character is a human).
Optional Spell Out: UNDERGROUND
Spell Out Option:U: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 10-1-2024
N: Spider Lake: A Northern Lakes Mystery by Jeff Nania 9-29-2024
D: Dune by Frank Herbert 9-27-2024
E: The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis 10-4-2024
R: Roses by Leila Meacham 10-6-2024
G: Hill of Secrets by Galina Vromen 9-24-2024
R: Divergent by Veronica Roth 10-7-2024
O: Master & Commander by Patrick O'Brian 9-24-2024
U: Ulysses by James Joyce 11-2-2024
N: The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon 9-30-2024
D: Maid to Match by Deeanne Gist 10-5-2024
Ready for my next tasks.
Mod
Leave Stems Behind
30% of bees live in holes inside of trees, logs, or hollow plant stems. Don’t cut those hollow stems, which are valuable bee habitats. A hollow stem may not seem like prime real estate to us, but to the mason and other bees, it’s a cozy home in which they may overwinter. Wait until the spring to cut back dead flower stalks, leaving stems 8 to 24 inches high to provide homes for cavity-nesting bees.
Tasks:
1. Read a book about a character who waits to do something until later.
2. Read a book with an author whose initials can be found in the word CAVITY.
3. Read a book where a character stalks something.
Optional Spell Out: PLANT STEM
Spell Out OptionP: Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay 11-8-2024
L: The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton 11-11-2024
A: Among Others by Jo Walton 11-3-2024
N: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel 11-4-2024
T: The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister 11-5-2024
S: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas 11-4-2024
T: Testimony by Anita Shreve 11-10-2024
E: The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden 11-9-2024
M: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 11-3-2024
Ready for my next set of tasks.
Mod
Support Local Beekeepers and Organizations
Local beekeepers work hard to nurture their bees and the local community. The easiest way to show your appreciation is to buy locally-made honey and beeswax products. Many beekeepers use products from their hives to create soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Plus, local honey is not only delicious — it is made from local flora and may help with seasonal allergies! You can also give time, resources, and monetary donations to local beekeeping societies and environmental groups to help their programs grow.
Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC sells or buys a locally grown product.
2. Read a book with the word "honey" in the text.
3. Read a book with a character who suffers from allergies.
Optional Spell Out: APPRECIATION
Spell Out OptionA: The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez 11-12-2024
P: A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie 11-16-2024
P:
R: One Summer by Karen Robards 11-18-2024
E: Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich 11-25-2024
C: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo 11-15-2024
I:
A: The Little Liar by Mitch Albom 11-14-2024
T: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne 11-14-2024
I:
O: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle 11-13-2024
N: On the Beach by Nevil Shute 11-22-2024
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Dirty Thirty (other topics)On the Beach (other topics)
One Summer (other topics)
A Pocket Full of Rye (other topics)
Crooked Kingdom (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Janet Evanovich (other topics)Nevil Shute (other topics)
Karen Robards (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
Leigh Bardugo (other topics)
More...
Save the Bees!
Challenge Starts July 1, 2024
There are over 20,000 bee species found in the world. This diversity encompasses some of the most important insects for agriculture, wild plants, and home gardens.
Many plants rely on pollinators, including bees, for pollination. Some plants are fully dependent on bees, while others are only partially dependent.
Fully dependent plants include brazil nuts, cocoa beans, kiwi and melons. Partially dependent plants include avocados, coffee and nuts. Other plants that rely on bees are almonds, apples, apricots, blueberries, cotton, papaya, passionfruit, and strawberries.
Take seven steps to help protect the bees! Each step requires 3 books.
There is an optional spell out for each level as well. For spell outs, you may use the first letter of the first word of the title (using or omitting an opening A/An/The), or the first letter of the author's first or last name.
Post your completions in your own thread. You may take as long as you need to complete this challenge.
Sample completion post:
TASK:
BOOK/AUTHOR:
PAGES:
DATE READ:
HOW IT FITS: