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THE BLACK-EYED SUSAN – A BEAUTIFUL HOST PLANT

Jun11

       If you are searching for a native plant that has stunning blossoms, provides food for pollinators, and is a butterfly host plant, look at the black-eyed Susan.

       I doubt there is a Georgia gardener that cannot identify the black-eyed Susan.  It provides beauty to the countryside and backyard gardens alike.  It also does well in containers; my wife has raised black-eyed Susans in large containers on our deck for the last couple of years.  While we enjoy the beauty the plants provide just outside our backdoor, we also like the fact its blooms are favorite dining spots for many pollinators.  While we occasionally see butterflies such as pearl crescents on the blooms, small bees seem to visit the blossoms more often than any other insects.

       On top of all of these virtues, this tall native plant also serves as a host plant for the silvery checkerspot butterfly.

       If you do not have the black-eyed Susan growing in your gardens, give this one a try.

BACKYARD SECRET – STAGERING SOWING ZINNIA SEEDS PROVIDES BUTTERFLIES WITH NECTAR UNTIL FROST

May19

       Zinnias have long been a favorite of Georgia gardeners. They not only adorn our flower gardens with a wide variety of blossoms, they provide food for a wide range of butterflies and other pollinators.  However, since we typically sow zinnias seeds only in the spring, zinnia blooms are scarce in autumn… This is unfortunate as pollinators often find food hard to find late into the fall. Here are a couple of ways you can alleviate this situation.

       One way that you can prolong the zinnia’s blooming period is by deadhead plants.  This will stimulate the plants to produce more blossoms.  The downside of this practice is you eliminate a food source for songbirds.

       Another way that you can enhance the availability of zinnia blossoms until frost is stagger the times you sow seeds.  By sowing seeds every few weeks well into the summer, when some zinnias fade away, they are replaced by plants just coming into bloom.

       This simple practice will enhance the available of nectar and pollen well into autumn a when food is often scarce and add color to your gardens.

BEEBALM IS A HUMMINGBIRD, BEE AND BUTTERFLY MAGNET

Mar26

       Beebalm (Monardo didyma) is also known as Oswego tea or monarda), is a plant that anyone trying to attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators need to plant in their backyard. This perennial native is easy grow and produces flowers from June into September.  It grows to a height of one to five feet.  Beebalm grows best in moist to dry soil types.  It will grow in partial shade to full sun.

       The plant’s flowers attract a number of species of butterflies ranging from the eastern tiger swallowtail, and fritillaries, to whites and sulphurs.  It is also visited by snowberry clearwing moths (better known as hummingbird moths).

       Some of the native bees attracted to the plant are sweat bees, carpenter bees, digger bees, leaf-cutter bees and mason bees.

       After the colorful blooms die, American goldfinches, sparrows and others eat beebalm seeds.

REPORTS OF MONARCHS WINTERING IN THE SOUTHEST NEEDED

Nov27

          For unknown reasons, in recent years thousands of monarch butterflies have been found overwintering throughout the Southeast In an effort to learn more about this phenomena, a consortium of universities, state wildlife agencies such as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and other conservation groups like Monarchs over Georgia have banded together to form an organization called Monarch Overwintering in the Southeastern United States or MOVERS.  The group is requesting the public’s involvement in reporting sightings monarch in the Southeast during the winter.

         One of the goals of MOVERS is to determine how monarchs that over winter as adults in the Southeast affect future the size of future monarch populations.  The study also hopes to document how winter breeding in the Southeast might affect the monarch’s annual migration to Mexico.

       If you would like to take part in the effort to document monarchs in the Southeast this winter, contact journeynorth.org/surveys or www.inaturalist.org.

INSECTICIDES ARE REPORTED TO BE AFFECTING BUTTERFLY DECLINES

Jul10

       For quite some time researchers have been trying to identify the factors responsible for butterfly declines across the United States.  Recently The Wildlife Society reported that a group of researchers analyzed 17 years of data relating to the impact of land use, climate, and pesticide application on butterfly populations in 81 counties located in five Midwestern states.  The study was undertaken in hopes of identifying the major factors affecting butterfly populations in the region.

       The results of the study (recently published in PLOS ONE) indicate that, out of all of the factors evaluated, insecticide use is the strongest link between both declines in the size of butterfly populations and butterfly diversity.  It has caused and 8% drop in the numbers of butterfly species in the study area.  The researchers went on to say that crop seeds treated with a group of pesticides known, as neonicotinoids appear to have had the largest impact.  They also noted that the monarch butterfly is one of the species that has been negatively impacted by the use of these insecticides.

       Neonicotinoid insecticides are systemic poisons.  In other words, they are absorbed and spread to all parts of a plant including its roots, stems, foliage, flowers, nectar, and pollen.

       This should be concerning to home gardeners as they often use these pesticides in their own gardens.  Ironically, studies have found that pesticides are often applied by homeowners at rates higher than are used in commercial farming operations.  In addition, even if you do not apply pesticides to the plants in your yard, neonicotinoids can be present in the nursery stock you transplant in your gardens.

BACKYARD SECRET – MILKWEEDS BENEFIT MORE THAN MONARCHS

Jul8

      Whenever you think about trick-or-treat it is impossible to think of any other holiday than Halloween.  Similarly, with all of the interest swirling around milkweed plants, we cannot help but think of monarch butterflies when we think of the milkweeds.  This is understandable since the milkweed is the host plant for this colorful orange and black butterflies.  However, ecologists now tell us that a wide range of range of pollinators and other insects also depend on milkweeds to survive.  These insects include the likes of native bees, hoverflies, true bugs, moths, and even ants.

       This is once again an example of how plants and animals are often linked to one another in an unimaginable number of ways.

 

COMMON RUE – THE UNCOMMON HOST PLANT

Jun16

       There is a good chance you have never seen common rue (Ruta graveolens) even though it is a host plant for both black and giant swallowtail butterflies.   However, if you have ever played a game of cards, you are familiar with the silhouette of its leaves (they are the inspiration for the club suit).

       Rue is native to the Balkan Peninsula.  However, it currently grows throughout much of the world.  Although is does well in Georgia gardens, I have found it difficult to find at nurseries.

       Rue is an herb that grows only two to three feet tall.  Its blue-green foliage and clusters of yellow flowers that attract a variety of pollinators make it an attractive addition to a variety of garden settings. In many areas, it retains its foliage throughout the winter.  Rue will grow well is partial shade, in a wide range of soil types, and is both drought and deer resistant.  

       On the downside, rue is poisonous.  While some folks can handle rue within impunity, others break out is a rash and/or blisters when they touch the plant.  With that in mind, I recommend that you wear long sleeves and gloves when handling the plant.  NEVER eat it or use it for medicinal purposes.  If you do, you may rue the day you did.

       My wife and I set out rue for the first time this year in hopes of attracting more giant swallowtails. They join two other giant swallowtail caterpillar host plants (wafer ash and trifoliate orange) that have been growing in our yard for a number of years. 

       If you are looking for an odd host plant to try in your landscape, consider common rue.  However, if you do, be careful how you handle it.

      

      

      

      

BACKYARD SECRET – GEORGIA IS HOME TO A DIVERSE POPULATION OF NATIVE BEES

Apr21

        When we think of native pollinators, it is only natural to think about moths, butterflies and hummingbirds.  However, some of our most important native pollinators are bees.  There are some 4,500 species of native bees in the United States; 500 of these species live in Georgia.

BLOGGER REPORTS MONARCHS NECTARING AT ENCORE AZALEAS

Apr17

        Native azaleas are nectar plants used by butterflies and other pollinators. However, such is not the case with ornamental azaleas.  While these showy exotic spring bloomers are beautiful, they are not known for their production of nectar.  However, a few years ago I was surprised to find that a hybrid known as Encore Azalea does indeed attract butterflies. 

       Since that discovery, I have witnessed eastern tiger swallowtails, cloudless sulphurs, painted ladies, ocolas, common buckeyes, and long-tailed skippers nectaring at Encore Azalea blossoms. 

       An April 13, 2024, post by an anonymous blogger stated that monarchs also nectar on the shrub.

       If you have noticed other butterflies nectaring on Encore Azaleas, please let me know.