Pale Indian Plantain: A Wasp Favorite

Pale Indian Plantain ~ Arnoglossum atriplicifolium (Cacalia atriplicifolia)

Pale Indian Plantain is by far one of the tallest native perennials in our landscape. It can reach heights of close to 10 feet.

The small, white flowers make up several umbels in a wide branched flower head. The flowerhead is around 12" wide in many plants.  It's in full bloom right now and the majority of insect visitors are wasps.

Read an earlier post about, and see more photos of Pale Indian Plantain.

This long Thread-Waisted Wasp (Ammophila sp.) is a regular visitor. A predator of caterpillars, they sting their prey then drag it back to their nest in the ground to feed their developing larvae. (Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity)

This Sand Wasp (Bicyrtes sp.) also likes the Plantain flowers. I typically see this wasp on Common Boneset.

This Potter Wasp (Eumenes sp.) with its characteristic bulbous abdomen. Many in this Genus make mud pot-like nests above ground. They also provision their nests with paralyzed caterpillars where a single egg is laid. (Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity)

The fast moving and difficult to photograph Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) was visiting Plantain flowers this afternoon. This beautifully colored wasp can seem intimidating for its size and buzz, but are not aggressive around flowers. These wasps capture katydids and take them back to their nests in the ground.

Native Plant of the Week: Common Boneset ~ Eupatorium perfoliatum

Common Boneset ~ Eupatorium perfoliatum


Common Boneset is a wonderful native perennial for sandy, moist soils. Flowering a little earlier this year (like almost everything else), Boneset is a four foot tall, upright plant with hairy leaves and stem.

The leaves surround the flower stem and are held outwards horizontally. In our landscape, they make a nice perch for tree frogs watching the visiting insects above on the flowers.

Common Boneset is found along shores in moist soils as well as low lying wet areas in prairies in full sun. It's a good candidate for rain gardens near the input where there's adequate moisture during rain events.

The white flowers are numerous and packed into a somewhat flat flower head. They don't seem to be as attractive to butterflies, but many wasp, bee and fly species will cover the flowers.

These Tachinid flies with their long hairs protruding from the top of their abdomens love Common Boneset and Culver's Root.

Tiny Yellow-Faced Bees (Hylaeus species) visit the flowers regularly.

Both the large Northern Paper Wasps and Bald Faced Hornets also seek out nectar from the flowers.

I have photographed this handsome Sand Wasp (Bicyrtes species) two years in a row on Common Boneset. These wasps fashion their ground nests (in sand) with true bugs such as Stink Bugs for their developing larvae to feed upon. (Source: Bug Eric Blog)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
2011. North American Plant Atlas. Chapel Hill, N.C.

Common Boneset is native to eastern North America. See map for range.

Hoary Vervain Insect Visitors

Hoary Vervain ~ Verbena stricta


I planted more Hoary Vervain a few years ago in our landscape because it likes dry, sandy locations in full sun. Now, I'm enjoying a significant increase in the diversity of pollinators and insect visitors coming to Hoary Vervain.

Small Skipper Butterflies like the tubular five-parted flowers. Pictured here, Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius), one of the easier small skippers to identify with its distinct markings.

A second Skipper, my best guess is Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), although we are a little north of its range. Perhaps due to our early spring warm-up this Skipper got a head start on its migration north and traveled a little further.

Cabbage White butterflies (Pieris rapae) are also frequent visitors seeking out nectar.

Hoary Vervain flowers from the bottom upwards, on the tall narrow flower spike. The flowering time can therefore last from July into September providing a nice source of nectar for insects.

Some of the first Soldier Beetles in our yard this season are on Hoary Vervain. They like to feed on both nectar and pollen on many types of flowers.

Soldier Beetles are predators of other insects and are therefore considered natural enemies. Falling in the family Cantharidae, some soldier beetle adults will feed on aphids, and insects eggs and larvae providing biological control.
(Michigan State University, Natural Enemies)

This attractive, large Syrphid fly was using its long mouthpart to sponge up some nectar.

Syrphid flies are also predators, some larvae feed on aphids.

Bumble Bees also like the Hoary Vervain flowers. Less frequent visitors, probably because some preferred native species such as Wild Bergamot flower at the same time.

These medium-sized fast moving Long Horned Bees (Melissodes species) would stop on the Hoary Vervain just long enough so I could snap a photo.

This particular bee likes to fly around other bees nectaring and take small jabs at them. They seem to spend their time doing this more than landing on flowers for pollen or nectar.

Two of the new bee species discoveries this season have occurred on Hoary Vervain.

This Cuckoo Leafcutting Bee (Coelioxys species) is a cleptoparasite of Leafcutter Bees. With no means to collect pollen, its only visiting the Hoary Vervain for nectar. Read more about the Cuckoo Leafcutting Bee here: Another New Native Bee Discovery.

The second discovery, just last week was another Cuckoo (cleptoparasitic) Bee in the Genus Triepeolus. With bright orange legs and black and white striped body, it is an extremely attractive bee.

These bees lay their eggs in the nests of Long-Horned Bees (Melissodes species).

If you have an open, sunny location with medium to dry soils, I highly recommend Hoary Vervain. Its upright stature, coarse leaves and long blooming purple flowers make it a great addition to any landscape or prairie.

Native Plant of the Week: Nodding Onion ~ Allium cernuum

Nodding Onion ~ Allium cernuum


With our ongoing drought in many parts of the continent, it's a good idea to investigate what native plants are thriving in this heat. Nodding Onion is one of these natives, loving hot, sunny locations in dry sandy soils. It is also apparently tolerant of loam or clay soils.

Very similar to Prairie Onion (Allium stellatum), Nodding Onion has drooping umbel flowerheads comprised of 6 parted light pink flowers. Flower stalk heights range from 12 -24 inches.

The basal leaves are linear and grass-like in appearance, and often go unnoticed because the foliage of neighboring plants will hide the onion leaves.

The leaves have an onion odor, not as strong as chives but quite apparent. Nodding onion works really well intermixed with shorter prairie natives at the edge of a planting. It looks fantastic planted with Wild Petunia, Side Oats Grama and Spotted Beebalm all of which flower at the same time.

The primary visitor to the tiny flowers are small Halictid bees. Look for them clinging to the underside of the nodding flowers.

The occasional Leafcutter Bee will also visit the flowers of the Nodding Onion in our yard.

And where the bees visit, you will often find Tumbling Flower Beetles feeding on pollen.

I also spotted the Weevil species this morning. I'm going to investigate later if the weevil is feeding on any part of the Nodding Onion plant.

Nodding Onion is native to many parts of North America, see map below for range.

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
2011. North American Plant Atlas. Chapel Hill, N.C.

Deep Rooted Prairie Plants

My post today at Native Plants Wildlife Gardens is titled What to Plant? Taking Cues From Local Prairie Plant Communities

That is Not a Bumble Bee

I thought I had been fooled enough by insect mimics, especially flies. Apparently not, after photographing this fly on Culver's Root on the weekend.

Unlike Robber Flies, this fly mimic, falls in the Syrphidae family along with the tiny flower flies that visit flowers. This particular syrphid fly, Eristalis flavipes behaves like a Bumble Bee, buzzing while flying and nectaring on flowers.

My first clue that this was a fly was the short antenna. Bumble Bees have much longer antenna. The other clue was that the black and yellow coloration did not match any of my bumble bee guides.

Robber Flies (Laprhia sp shown here), are also Bumble Bee mimics. Instead of visiting flowers like the Syrphid Fly above, they are voracious predators of other insects. Note the bearded face. They will perch on leaves waiting for their prey to fly by.

Native Plant of the Week: False Sunflower ~ Heliopsis helianthoides

False Sunflower ~ Heliopsis helianthoides (Smooth Oxeye)


False Sunflower is a native perennial of medium to dry sites. Often found where there's been a disturbance, such as along railways or roadsides. It can occur on the edges of woodlands, in thickets and prairies in full sun.

The large yellow flowers open in early July on 3 - 5 foot tall flower stalks. The oppositely arranged leaves are stalked and serrated.

According to Minnesota Wildflowers, the easiest way to identify this plant is by the long and short alternating bracts behind the flower.

This native makes a great addition to any perennial border, prairie or native garden in sandy-loam soils. Complementary natives include shorter prairie grasses such as Side Oats Grama, Butterfly Milkweed, Heath Aster, Wild Petunia, Spotted Beebalm, and Wild Bergamot.

It is a favorite of Aphids which can at times, cover the entire flower stalk. If you have a pesticide-free native garden that fosters beneficial insects such as Lady Bird Beetles, the Aphid population can be reduced significantly by predation. 

Soldier Beetles, Syrphid Flies, Bees and Butterflies all like to visit the fertile flowers.

A Northern Crescent pictured on the left enjoying the flower's offerings.

Also a Common Ringlet butterfly.

False Sunflower is native to eastern North America, see map below for range.

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
2011. North American Plant Atlas. Chapel Hill, N.C.

Rain Gardens

Front Corner of Rain Garden

We toured four Minneapolis rain gardens last night with the Wild Ones Twin Cities group. Rain gardens are bowl-shaped in order to capture and retain water from downspouts during rain events. It allows water to infiltrate slowly on the property, helping to replenish ground water stores, and prevent storm surges in the city's storm water system. Rain gardens can reduce the amount of pollutants carried from properties into the watershed.

The first one was featured in the front yard, accomodating the rainfall from about half of the front roof. The homeowner had it professionally designed and installed it herself including digging the 'bowl' out.

The native plants near the curb (farthest away from the downspout) and therefore in the drier part included Field Pussytoes, Purple Cone Flower, Prairie Smoke and Sprengel's Sedge. Featured in the middle was Joe Pye Weed.

View from the house corner

Native perennials on the moister end of the rain garden where the buried downspout extension emerged included Black Eyed Susans, Mountain Mint, Big Bluestem, Nodding Onion and Butterfly Milkweed. The homeowner has signage at the curb explaining what the purpose of a rain garden is.

The second rain garden was also in the front yard bordering the front sidewalk. It was approximately 18 feet long and 5 feet wide. This rain garden also accomodated approximately 1/4 of the roof's run-off. Ironweed and mountain mint were in full bloom as well as the Big Bluestem grass. Other native species included Swamp Milkweed, False Sunflower, Golden Alexanders, Blazingstar, Boneset, Anise Hyssop and Joe Pye Weed.

Rain gardens are a win-win providing a way to capture and improve water quality as well as beautifying your landscape with native plants. If you live in the Twin Cities metro area, there are many grants available for rain gardens. See the Blue Thumb website for details.

Wild Bergamot - A Five Star Pollinator Plant

Bombus perplexus

Wild Bergamot ~ Monarda fistulosa

Bombus rufocinctus

Mint Moth ~ Pyrausta sp.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

Cuckoo Bee ~ Coelioxys sp

Greater Bee Fly

Silver Spotted Skipper

Long Horned Bee

Soldier Beetle

Long-horned Beetle ~ Typocerus velutinus

Sweat Bee

Mason Wasp