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OUR MOST BEAUTIFUL COCKROACH

Jun23

           If there was ever a contest to crown Georgia’s most beautiful cockroach, I am certain that the winner would be the pale-bordered field cockroach (Pseudomops septentrionalis).  I never thought that it is impossible to describe a cockroach is being beautiful.  Then a few days ago, I just happened to find a pale-bordered field cockroach.  When I first looked at it, it appeared to be a bauble that had fallen of a necklace or bracelet.  Upon closer examination, I saw the object had six legs and was adorned with a distinctive pattern that was far different from any cockroach I have ever seen.

            This cockroach is small (1/2 to 5/8 inches long).  Unlike the cockroaches we are familiar with,  it rarely ventures into our homes.  Instead, it remains outside living its life in the thick cover found in our backyards, gardens, and natural areas.  It is particularly fond of mulch, and woodpiles.  It is a scavenger that spends the daylight hours feeding on the juices of low-growing plants and flowers.  Fortunately, it does not damage plants nor is a garden pest.  In addition, unlike other cockroaches, they are not known to carry any diseases that can infect humans.

            This insect is not native to the United States.  Instead, its home range includes Mexico and Costa Rica.  Interestingly, some experts believe it was accidentally brought here in shipments of bananas.

            If you spot a pale-bordered field cockroach in your backyard, I suspect that you might exclaim, “It is the most beautiful cockroach I have ever seen!”  

 

DO NOT PLANT THIS MILKWEED IN YOUR GARDEN

Jun18

        With each passing year, more Georgia gardeners are planting milkweeds in hopes their efforts will bolster the dwindling monarch butterfly population.  The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Program recommends we do not plant the common milkweed in our gardens (Asclepias syriaca) in the state.

       This reason they want us to defer from planting this particular milkweed is it is not native to Georgia.  This recommendation is based on the fear that this milkweed could potentially become invasive and usurp habitats currently occupied by Georgia’s native milkweeds and other wild plants.

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.

BEST PLANTS FOR WILDLIFE

May12

       For weeks, we have been scurrying about our yards planting plants that are both attractive to us and beneficial to wildlife.  Favorite plants include zinnias, coneflowers, snapdragons, salvias, sunflowers and butterfly bushes.  While you cannot argue with any of these choices, a family of plants that are arguably the most beneficial to wildlife rarely makes it to the top of the list are the oaks.  About now, you are probably scratching your head and wondering if I have lost my mind.

       More than 20 species of oaks are native to Georgia.  Many of them, such as willow, water, white and red, commonly grow in yards across the state. The truth of the matter is, however, few homeowners realize how important oaks are to literally hundreds of species of wildlife including moths, butterflies, mammals and birds.

       Would believe that here in the Peach State 447 species of moths and butterflies utilize oaks as host plants. A few of these lepidopterans include the likes of butterflies such at the great purple hairstreak, Horace’s duskywing, and banded hairstreak. The moths that lay their eggs on oaks includes the underwings, clymene, cecropia, rosy maple, polyphemus, and imperial.

       The pollen generated by oaks is also an important source of food for a large variety of native bees and other insect pollinators.

       The caterpillars found on oaks are principal sources of food for both migrating songbirds such as warblers.  The caterpillars are also the main source of food for songbirds that nest here. The importance of these insects cannot be underestimated when you consider most land-based birds eat insects (primarily caterpillars) sometime during their lives.

       Wild turkeys, waterfowl, white – tailed deer, chipmunks, squirrels, woodpeckers, blue jays eastern towhees, and others gobble up acorns.

       I cannot think of any other groups of plants that benefits such a wide variety of animals. With that in mind, if native oak is not currently growing in yard, set one out this year.  It will be an attractive addition to your home landscape and be a reliable source for wildlife for years to come.

       Before you plant an oak, do a little homework; find which species of oaks do well in your section of Georgia.  Other information that you should consider is the tree’s size, how soon it will produce a crop of acorns, and whether acorns are form annually,

       If you have room enough for a native oak, I recommend that you incorporate it in your landscape design.  An oak, along with a variety of other native and noninvasive ornamental plants, can help you create a true wildlife haven.

THE COMMON BLUE VIOLET – A GREAT CONTAINER PLANT

Apr2

       If you are looking for a native plant that does well in containers, consider the common blue violet Viola sororia).

       This Georgia native grows throughout the state; it has attractive heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous blooms.  Typically, the plant’s flowers are blue-violet; however, they are sometimes pink, purple, white and yellow.

       One of the neat things about this violet is it is also a super wildlife plant.  It is a host plant for 29 species of moths and butterflies including the giant leopard moth and variegated fritillary butterfly.

    

       It also produces nectar used by sweat and mason bees, and even ruby-throated hummingbirds.

       The common blue violet’s seeds are eaten by juncos and sparrows.

       In my neck of the woods (middle Georgia), it blooms from as early as February into August.

       To top it all off, even gardeners that do not have a green thumb can grow this plant.

       If you try it, I am sure you will like it.

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.

BACKYARD SECRET – BLACK GUM TREES ADVERTIZE THEY HAVE FRUIT

Oct23

        The Black gum tree displays strikingly beautiful scarlet red foliage each autumn.  Long before it displays its eye-popping finery scattered red leaves appear scattered about its dark green canopy.  These red leaves appear from summer into early fall during the time many migratory songbirds are migrating south for the winter.

       Some biologists theorize the red leaves literally advertise that the trees are harboring a bounty of food needed by southbound migrants to fuel their arduous migration. Supposedly, when the birds spot the leaves they fly down and inspect the tree.  When they do, they quickly find the tree laden with energy-rich half-inch dark fruits (actually drupes).

       By so doing, the birds benefit not having to expend a lot of time and energy to find food and the tree’s seeds are scattered far from the tree.      

EYE-CATCHING AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRIES ARE CURRENTLY HEADLINERS

Sep4

      The plants that catch my eye every time I step into my backyard during this, the first week of September, are American Beautyberries (Callicarpa Americana).  The reason for this is their stems are covered with clusters of round, magenta berries (actually called drupes).  I know of no other native berries that have such a unique color.

       If you had gazed on them in spring and early summer, you would not believe these are the same plants.  Before the American beautyberry is festooned with clumps of magenta berries, they are unimpressive plants that blend into the landscape.  Now however, their transformation into beautiful shrubs make it impossible not to notice them.  Since these berries are beginning to disappear, it is obvious that wild birds have also noticed them.  More than 40 species of birds dine on the colorful drupes.  Some of the birds than dine on them in my backyard are gray catbirds, northern mockingbirds, northern cardinals, and house finches.

       American beautyberries also provide food for migrating warblers and other Neotropical migrants.  I must admit that I have never seen what I was certain was a bird on migration eating beautyberries in my hard.  However, one migrant I would love to see do so is the black-throated blue warbler.  The drupes of the American beautyberry are said to be a favorite food of this colorful bird.

       If this short Georgia native shrub is not growing in your yard, you might consider adding one or more to your home landscape.  It will grow in both moist and dry sites, is hardy, and drought tolerant.  The only negative thing I can say about this native is that it has a tendency to spread away from where it is planted.  However, if volunteers sprout in spots where you don’t want them, they are easy to control.

 

 

 

IT IS GLOSSY ABELIA TIME

Aug18

       If you are searching for a shrub that produces an abundance of blooms and nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators, glossy abelia just might be the plant for you.

       From summer well into fall, a time when many flowering plants have already quit blooming or are slowly fading away, glossy abelia is in full bloom.

       This shrub is a hybrid that was once commonly  grown around homes during the first half of the 20th century. However, for reasons I do not understand, it fell out of favor. Consequently, it rarely graces new homes.

       However, there are a number of reasons for folks to find a place for it in their home landscapes. Glossy abelia is a medium sized shrub.  It is both deer and drought tolerant, produces beautiful flowers that provide food for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.  However, it does not produce seeds.

       The shrub requires little maintenance.  About all you need to do to ensure it produces lots of flowers from year to year is the prune it in the winter or early spring. This is due to the fact  its blossoms form on new wood.

       Since the glossy abelias are in full bloom, this is a good time to check them out  at your local nursery.  If you are not familiar with the plant, I am sure you are going to fall in love with its small pinkish white, bell shaped blossoms and the fact this hard shrub requires little care.

BACYARD SECRET – BUYING CULTIVARS IS SOMETIMES RISKY

Aug11

      When you are shopping for native plants, sometimes you must decide whether to buy a plant that is not a hybrid or a cultivar.  Which should you choose?

       Although many cultivars often produce larger and more blossoms than those that are not hybrids, sometimes their ability to produce pollen and/or nectar is either lost or lessened during the breeding process.  Consequently, if you were planting a native plant for its beauty and ability to supply food for pollinators, you would be better off not buying a cultivar.

       However, many cultivars do not lose their ability to produce nectar and pollen.  Consequently, if possible, ask a friend or county agent if they know anything about a cultivar you are thinking about buying.  You can also check the Internet.  Often it can provide you with a wealth of information about the attributes of cultivars.

       Transplanting the right plant in your garden can make a big difference to the pollinators that you hope it will benefit and your own satisfaction.

       If you know excellent cultivars, please share their names with the rest of us.