[Pollinator] Pollinators in the Aloe Vera

[Research at Hilton Pond]

As many of you know, for the past five years I've been observing and 
banding Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on their wintering grounds in 
Costa Rica, where they are drawn to Aloe Vera plantations. Aloe, a 
non-native import from Africa, is grown organically and also attracts 
a lot of insects.

I thought you might like to see the latest "This Week at Hilton Pond" 
photo essay, which is summary of our work in 2009 plus a 
retrospective of my first five years among the aloe. It's at 
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek090222.html

Curiously, despite bountiful blossoms and plenty of pollinators from 
hummingbirds to honeybees, we've never seen any seed set on the aloe. 
Any thoughts?

Happy Spring!

BILL
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RESEARCH PROGRAM
c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA
research at hiltonpond.org, (803) 684-5852, eFax: (503) 218-0845

Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net):
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at http://www.hiltonpond.org
"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at http://www.rubythroat.org

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