attracting pollinators to your garden using native plants
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
1/16
Attracting Pollinators
to Your Garden UsingNative Plants
Ruby-throated Hummingbirdfeeding on trumpet honeysuckle(Lonicera sempervirens)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
2/16
Manyousenjoythebeautyofowersinour
backyardandcommunitygardens.Growingnative
plantsaddsbeautyandimportanthabitatsor
wildlie,especiallyorpollinators.Evenasmall
backyardgardencanmakeabigdierence.Gardening
connectsustonatureandhelpsusbetterunderstand
hownatureworks.Thisguidewillhelpyoucreatea
pollinator-riendlygarden.
What is pollination? Pollinationistheprocessomovingpollenromone
fowertoanotherothesamespecies,whichproduces
ertileseeds.Almostallfoweringplantsneedtobe
pollinated.Someplantsarepollinated
bywindorwater,andsomeareeven
sel-pollinating.However,most
foweringplantsdependonbees,butterfies,andotheranimals
orpollination.
Why use native plants in
your garden?
Pollinatorshaveevolvedwith
nativeplants,whicharebestadaptedtothelocalgrowingseason,
climate,andsoils.Mostpollinatorseedon
specicplantspecieshummingbirdssipnectar
romlong,tubularfowers,whilegreensweatbees
preermoreopen-acedfowers.Non-nativeplants
maynotprovidepollinatorswithenoughnectaror
pollen,ormaybeinedibletobutterfyormothcaterpillars.
1
Native Plant and PollinatorGardening Guide
What dohummingbirds,butteries andbees have incommon?
They all pollinateowering plants.
Half-black bumble bee oneastern purple coneower(Echinacea purpurea)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
3/16
2
Why Should We Care?
Keystone Species
Whenabumblebeeeedsonthenectarandpollenoblueberryfowers,itpollinatesthefowers,whichwill
produceruiteatenbysongbirds,blackbears,and
dozensootheranimals,includinghumans.Wecall
thebumblebeeandotherpollinatorskeystone species
becausetheyarespeciesuponwhichothersdepend.
Pollinatorsarevitaltomaintaininghealthy
ecosystems.Theyareessentialorplantreproduction,andproducegeneticdiversityintheplantstheypollinate.
Themorediverseplantsare,thebettertheycanadaptto
changesintheenvironment.
Bestoall,pollinatorssuchashummingbirds,bees,
andbutterfiesarebeautiulandascinating.
Pollinators need our help.
Biologistsearseveralbutterfyandbumblebee
specieshavedisappearedrompartsotheir
range,includingtheoncecommon
rusty-patchedbumblebee.Whyare
pollinatorsintrouble?
Itappearsthathabitat
loss,introduceddiseases,pollutionand
pesticidepoisoning
accountormucho
thepopulationdeclines.
Wecandoourpartto
supportpollinatorsby
creatingpollinator-riendlygardensand
protectingwildliehabitat.
Insects and other
animals pollinateone-third of the
food we eat allkinds of fruits,vegetables, grains,nuts, and beans.Even coffee andchocolate! Theeconomic value ofinsect pollinationworldwide hasbeen estimated at$217 billion.
Eastern bumble bee onprairie dock (Silphiumterebinthinaceum)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
4/16
3
Bees,butterfies,moths,hummingbirds,beetles,
waspsandevenfiespollinatefowers,butbeespecies
pollinatefowersmoreotenthananyothergroup,
includingbirdsandbutterfies.
Busy as a Bee
Beesarebyarthemosteectivepollinatorsbecause
theyeedonlyonfowers.Flowersattractandrewardbees
ortheirpollinationservice.Beesgathertwokindsooods
romfowers:sugar-richnectartoueltheirfightandprotein-richpollen,orbee bread,toeedtheiryoungbrood.
Beesusetheirtonguestolaporlickupnectarromfowers.
Beesareadiversegroupoinsectsthatincludeour
thousandspeciesnativetoNorthAmerica.Theycanbe
organizedintotwogroupsbasedontheirnestingliestyle:
solitaryorsocial.Aboutthree-quartersonativebeesin
NorthAmericaaresolitarynestbuilders.
Tongue lengthsvary in bee
species. Longtongues t long,tubular owerslike penstemonsand short tongues
t short-tubedowers likesunowers.
The Europeanhoney bee(Apis mellifera)is a social bee.
Bees prefer blue, purple, white, orangeand yellow owers, and sweet fragrances. They seeultraviolet colors found on the owers of buttercup andblack-eyed Susan.
Who Are Our Pollinators?
leaf-cutterbee (Megachile) nest
nestingbumble bee (Bombus)
Nesting Lifestyles
GARDENING
Tomatoes,peppers, andcranberriesrequire a specialbee behaviorcalled buzz
pollination,in which thebumble bee grabsthe ower in her
jaws and vibratesher wings todislodge pollentrapped in the
owers anthers.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
5/16
4
Bumble Bee (Bombus)
Thereareorty-sevenspeciesobumblebeesinNorthAmerica.BumblebeesaretheB-1bombersobees.
Becauseotheirchunkysize,theycanfyincooler
temperaturesandatlowerlightlevelsthanmanyother
beesincludingthehoneybee.Thus,queenbumblebees
aretheearliesttoemergeinspringinsearchotherst
fowersotheseason.
Liestyle:Anindividualqueenstartsacolonyinthespringatershewakesromhibernation.Sheproduceswaxrom
glandsinherbodytomakepot-likecellsinwhichtolay
hereggsandtostorenectarandpollenorherbrood.
Theyoungemergeinaewweeksasemaleworkerbees.
Asallarrives,mostbeesdieandonlynewlymatedqueens
overwintertoestablishnewcolonies.
Bumble bees
groom pollen fromtheir body hairs intopollen baskets,or corbicula, fortransport to thenest.
Brown-belted bumble bee(Bombus griseocollis)on Butteryweed
(Asclepias tuberosa)
Social Bees
Pollenbasket
Maple, willow, and serviceberry owerearly in spring and attract bumble bees and mason bees.
GARDENING
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
6/16
5
Solitary Bees
Green Sweat Bee
(Agapostemon)
Thesesmall,
brilliantlycolored,
metallicgreenbees
arehardtomiss
inagarden.Theyre
commonlycalled
sweatbeesbecausetheyoccasionallyland
onpeopletolickupsaltyhumansweat.
Liestyle:Somesweatbeesnestsocially,
butmostaresolitaryground-nesters.
Muchowhatweknowabouttheevolutionosocialbehavior
amonginsectshasbeenlearnedromsweatbeesbecause
theyshowdierentdegreesosociality.Insomespecies,
emalesbuildandnestalone;inothers,emalesnestcommunallyandshareacommonnestentrancebut
constructindividualnestcells(likeapartmentbuildings.)
Leaf-cutter Bee (Megachile)
Thesepugnaciousbeescarrypollenon
theirtummies.Lea-cutterbeesandother
solitarybeesseldomsting.Liestyle:Theyconstructtheirnests
intunnelsintheground,under
stones,orinexistingholes
indeadwood.Aemale
beecutscircularleapieces
tolinehernestchambers,
whichareshapedlikethimblesendtoend.Ineach,
shelaysaneggandprovisionsitwith
pollenandnectarorhereggs.
A femaleleaf-cutter bee
will cut circularleaf pieces to lineher nestingchambers.
Green sweat bees and leaf-cutter beeslike composites blanketower, sunower, and aster.
Green sweat bee(Agapostemon)
Leaf-cutter bee(Megachile)
GARDENING
Leaf-cutter bee(Megachile) on
goldenaster(Heterothecacamporum)
Green sweat bee(Agapostemon)on blanketower(Gaillardia aristata)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
7/16
6
Solitary Bees
Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria)
Theserobust,metallicbluebeesmostcommonlyappearearlyinspringwhentreesandshrubsfower.
Femalescarrypollenontheundersidesotheirabdomens.
Liestyle:Orchardmasonbeesbuildnestcellsin
pre-existingnarrowtunnelssuchasbeetleburrowsintrees
orhollowcentersoplantstems.Inthenesttunnel,the
emalebuildsaseriesohorizontal
cellsprovisioningeachwithpollen,nectar,andaneggandthen
sealsthecellwithmud.
Bytheendosummer,thebee
willtransorm
intoanadult
initscocoon
andoverwinterinthechamber
untilitemerges
inspring.
Orchard mason bee(Osmia lignaria)
If you see a beecarrying pollen onits belly or hindlegs, its a femalebee.
Mason beehouses providenest sites forthese important
pollinators.
Orchard mason bees(Osmia lignaria)on great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Important pollinators
of fruit trees, just250 mason bees canpollinate an acre ofapple trees. It wouldtake 10,000-250,000honey bees to do the
same work.Mason bees like
penstemon, andnative owering
trees such as choke-cherry, hawthorn,and serviceberry.
GARDENING
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
8/16
7
Planning your garden think like a pollinator.
Go Native.Pollinators arebest adapted to local, native
plants, which often need lesswater than ornamentals.
Bee Showy.Flowers should bloom in your
garden throughout the growing season.Plant willow, violet, and mayapple forspring and aster, joe-pyeweed and goldenrod
for fall owers.
Bee Bountiful. Plant bigpatches of each plant speciesfor better foraging efciency.
Bee Diverse. Plant a diversity of owering species withabundant pollen and nectar and specic plants for feedingbuttery and moth caterpillars.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
9/16
8
Bee Homey.Makesmall piles of branches to
attract butteries and moths.Provide hollow twigs, rotten logs
with wood-boring beetle holes andbunchgrasses and leave stumps, old
rodent burrows, and fallen plantmaterial for nesting bees. Leave dead
or dying trees for woodpeckers.
Bee Patient. It takes time for nativeplants to grow and for pollinators to ndyour garden, especially if you live far fromwild lands.
Bee Chemical Free.Pesticides and herbicides
kill pollinators.
Bee a little messy.Mostof our native bee species(70%) nest underground soavoid using weed cloth orheavy mulch.
Bee Aware.Observe
pollinators when you walkoutside in nature. Noticewhich owers attractbumble bees or solitarybees, and which attractbutteries.
Bee Friendly.Create pollinator-
friendly gardensboth at home, at
schools and in publicparks. Help peoplelearn more about
pollinators andnative plants.
Bee Gentle.Most bees will avoidstinging and use that behavior only inself-defense. Male bees do not sting.
Bee Sunny.Provide areas with
sunny, bare soil thatsdry and well-drained,
preferably with
south-facing slopes.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
10/16
9
Butteries
Bygrowingabountyonative
foweringplantsinyourgarden,
youcanattractavarietyo
butterfies.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucus)
Thislargebutterfy(upto6
wingspan)canbeoundrom
MaythroughAugust.Malescanotenbe
seenpatrollingor
emalesalong
streams,canyons
andnarrowroadways.
Liestyle:Agoodpollinatorgarden
containsoodnotjustoradult
butterfies,butortheircaterpillars.
Femalebutterfiesselectspecicplantsonwhich
tolaytheireggs;thisensuresthatwhentheireggs
hatch,thecaterpillarswillbeabletoeattheplants
leaveswhilegrowingintoadultbutterfies.Eastern
tigerswallowtailslaytheireggsonash,chokecherry
andotherleaves.
When disturbed, a swallowtail caterpillar rearsup and extends two red horns (osmeteria) fromits head to frighten off potential predators.
Butteries favor platform-shapedsunower and aster, but will feed on a diversity ofnectar-rich owers from violet to serviceberry. They preferred, purple, or yellow owers with sweet scents. Butterieslove warm, sunny, and windless weather.
GARDENING
Eastern tigerswallowtail(Papilio
glaucus)on common
serviceberry(Amelanchierarborea), one ofits larval plants.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
11/16
10
Butteries
Eastern tailed-bluebutteries feed onnectar from dogwood,chokeberry and other owers.The larvae feed on legumes
such as slender lespedeza.
GARDENING
Ants tend andprotect eastern
tailed-bluecaterpillars, whichreward them withhoneydew.
Easterntailed-bluebutteries(Cupido comyntas)and larva feedingon sundial lupine(Lupinus perennis)
Eastern Tailed-blue Buttery(Cupido comyntas)
Adulteasterntailed-bluebutterfiesappearromtheendoApriltoNovember.Malebutterfiescanoten
beseenpuddling,whichissippingupsoilsaltsand
mineralsinmudpuddles.
Liestyle:Femalebluebutterfies
layeggsonmanylegumesand
oncetheyhatch,thecaterpillars
eatthebuds,fowers,andseeds.Theyproduceasugarysecretion,
orhoneydew,which
iseatenbyants.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
12/16
11
Moths
Thesenight-fyingpollinatorsotenevade
detection,buttheresonethatfiesbydaytosipnectar
romfowersthesphinxmoth.
White-lined Sphinx Moth(Hyles lineata)
Althoughmanymothspeciespollinatefowers,the
sphinxorhawkmothisprobablytheonemostamiliar
becauseitsactivebyday.
Liestyle:Theyregreatfyersandsomehavetongues
longerthantheirbodies.Theselargemothsfyupwind,
trackingtheairborneragrancetrailtoaclusterofowers.
Theircaterpillars,called
tobaccoandtomato
hornworms,arewell
knowntogardeners.
White-linedsphinx moth(Hyles lineata)
feeding onyellow eveningprimrose(Oenothera sp.)
Sphinx moths, also calledhummingbird moths, preferpale or white owers that open in the evening and thathave a strong, sweet smell. They pick up pollen on their legsand wings. Adults nectar on columbine and honeysuckle.Caterpillars feed on evening primrose.
GARDENING
A butteryantenna (top)isa single lamentwith a club at thetip, while a mothantenna (bottom)can be broadand feathery ortapered to a point.
Can you tell abuttery from
a moth?Butteries arebrightly coloredand moths are moreoften colored inmuted grays andbrowns.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
13/16
12
Hummingbirds
Becausehummingbirdsspecializeonnectareeding,
theyplayanimportantroleinpollination.These
colorul,migratorybirdsserveasalinkbetweenplant
populationsbyvisitingfowersandmovingpollen
overgreatdistances.
There aremany species ofhummingbirds inthe United States
including Annas,Rufous andBlack-chinned.
To attract hummingbirdsto your garden, provide them with nectarstarting in early spring. Its thought thathummingbirds prefer red-colored owers;however, they will feed on any owerthat produces abundant nectar.
GARDENING
Ruby-throated
Hummingbird
Atinyjewelo
abird,theRuby-throatedHummingbirdercely
deendsitseedingareas.
Liestyle:
Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds
neston
treelimbs
orshrubbranches
insummerand
migratetoMexicoand
CentralAmericatospend
thewinter.
Sap wells created by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckerssupply many animals with a quick energy boost.Hummingbirds need lots of insects (protein) intheir diet, and will nab insects stuck in sap wells.
Male Ruby-throatedHummingbird ontrumpet honeysuckle(Lonicerasempervirens)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
14/16
13
Beetles, Flies and Wasps
Flower Beetle (Typocerus)
Beetlespresentthegreatestdiversityoinsectsandpollinators.Regularfowervisitorsincludesoldierbeetles
andfowerbeetles.Theyeedonpollenandevenchewon
fowers,butinthismess and soilpollinationprocessthey
pickuppollenandcarryittootherfowers.
Hover y(Syrphid)
Pollen wasp(Pseudomasaris)
These beetles are commonlyseen on yarrow and sunower.
Hover Fly(Syrphid)
Becausetheyresoabundant,fiesareimportant
pollinatorseventhoughtheytransportlesspollenthan
bees.Hoverfiesmimicbeesandwaspsincoloration
andbehaviortoavoidpredators.
Hover ies feed on the same owerspreferred by bees, such as purple coneower, sneezewood,and sunower.
Pollen Wasp (Pseudomasaris)
Dontberightenediyouseethiswasp,itdoesnt
eatinsectsorstinghumans,butseeksoutfowersor
pollen.Ayellowjacketlook-a-like,pollenwaspscanbe
identiedromotherwaspsbytheirclubbedantennae.
Theyresolitarynestersandyoumightndtheirhard
mudnestsattachedtorocksortwigs.
Pollen wasps pollinatepenstemon and phacelia.
GARDENING
GARDENING
GARDENINGFlower beetle(Typocerus)
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
15/16
14
How do I nd pollinator-friendlynative plants for my garden?
For more information on pollinators and native plants,check out The Xerces Society website: www.xerces.org.
ThePollinator Partnershipoers
31dierentplantingguidestailored
tospecicecoregionsintheUnited
States.Eachguideischock-ull
onativeplantandpollinator
inormation.
To get the guide specic to
your ecoregion:
1.VisitthePollinatorPartnershipwebsite:www.pollinator.org
2.ClickonPlanting Guides.
3.Enteryour5-digitzipcode.
YoullndtheSelecting Plants
for Pollinatorsguidethatts
yourregion.Checkoutthechartsthatlistwhichnative
plantsgrowbestinyourarea
sothatyoucanattractmore
pollinatorstoyourgarden.
Your Source for Pollinator Action and Information.
-
7/31/2019 Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden Using Native Plants
16/16
TheU.S.DepartmentoAgriculture(USDA)prohibitsdiscriminationin allitsprogramsandactivitiesonthebasisorace,color,nationalorigin,age,disability,andwhereapplicable,sex,maritalstatus,amilialstatus,parentalstatus,religion,sexualorientation,geneticinormation,politicalbelies,reprisal,orbecauseallopartoanindividualsincomeisderivedromanypublicassistanceprogram.(Notallprohibitedbasesapplytoallprograms.)Personswithdisabilitieswhorequirealternativemeans orcommunication oprogram inormation (Braille, large prints,audiotape, etc.) should contactUSDAsTARGETCenterat(202)720-2600(voiceandTDD).Toleacomplaintodiscrimination,writetoUSDA,Director,OceoCivilRights,1400IndependenceAvenue,S.W.,Washington,DC20250-9410,orcall(800)795-3272(voice)or(202)720-6382(TDD).USDAisanequalopportunityproviderandemployer.
Text:SusanReelDesignandIllustrations:NancySeiler
U.S.ForestService
1400IndependenceAvenue,S.W.Washington,DC20250
R1-10 -5Printed on recycled paper.
How do butteries survive the winter?
Mourning cloak, Milberts tortoiseshell, andanglewing spend the winter as adults, but
most butteries overwinter as eggs, caterpillarsor pupae. In your garden, tree cavities, leaflitter and branch piles shelter over-winteringbutteries from predators and cold weather.
Mourning cloak
(Nymphalis antiopa)