Pollinator Handouts

You can now download some of the recent handouts I created for pollinators and native plants from the right sidebar of my blog homepage.

More to come, stay tuned!

American Pasqueflower ~ A Welcome Sign of Spring

American pasqueflower ~ Anemone patens

American pasqueflower is a wonderful native alternative to tulips or daffodils, flowering in early spring. It can be found on sunny, prairie slopes with poor, dry soils. This year, it's flowering before any of the woodland ephemerals such as bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis. The leaves are held tight to the stem during flowering, looking like a prop holding the flower upwards. These palmately-divided leaves relax away from the stem and open after flowering.

American pasqueflower provides an abundant amount of pollen to pollinators, an important, early-spring resource for female bees to provision their nests. The plant is protogynous, developing the female parts first (stigmas), with the male anthers shedding pollen after the stigmas are no longer receptive. This is one of many fascinating strategies to ensure cross-pollination. In order to attract pollinators during the male phase, small staminal nectaries located at the base of the stamens produce nectar. It is likely that a visiting insect seeking nectar only will come into contact with the anthers transferring pollen on their bodies to the next pasqueflower.

The flowers when open, track the sun throughout the day turning the flowerheads. This solar tracking (heliotropism) tends to occur in plant families that flower when pollinators are scarce. The flowers facing the sun trap the sun's heat creating a warm place for pollinators to forage and warm body temperatures. The pollinators have little difficulty flying to the next flower when warm, aiding in the cross-pollination of the plant.

Small Sweat Bees, Lasioglossum spp. 
Frequent visitors, small sweat bees collect the white pollen which is abundant, circling around the outside of the numerous stamens on each flower.

Large Mining Bees, Andrena spp.
Large mining bees belonging to the Melandrena subgenus are common in early spring and can be mistaken for bumble bees. They have shiny, black abdomens, unlike bumble bees who have hairy abdomens. Mining bees nest in the ground in sand or loose, loam soils.

Other pollinators to look for include large syrphid flies feeding on pollen. These flies are mimics of large mining bees and bumble bees. Bumble bees also visit the flowers.

Because American pasqueflower blooms in early spring during fluctuating temperatures, insect activity can be sporadic. If the sepals are closed on a cool day, look for bees forcing their way into the flower.


References:
Bock, J. H., & Peterson, S. J. (1975). Reproductive biology of Pulsatilla patens (Ranunculaceae). American Midland Naturalist, 476-478. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2424441

Plan Now for Spring Pollinators

Long-Styled Sweet Cicely Insect Visitors

Long-Styled Sweet Cicely ~ Osmorhiza longistylis
Long-Styled Sweet Cicely is one of my favorite woodland native plants. Its other common name is Aniseroot for its licorice-scented roots. Flowering in May, it's an attractive, medium sized, shade-tolerant perennial with tiny, five-parted white flowers arranged in an umbel. Another common Cicely is Sweet Cicely, Osmorhiza claytonii.

Unlike some other spring flowering woodland natives such as Bloodroot or Rue Anemone, Cicely offers both nectar and pollen rewards to visiting insects.

Cellophane Bees (Colletes spp.) visit the flowers for nectar, but in the process their hairy faces get covered with the white pollen which will aid in cross-pollination.

Cicely was the first plant I noticed this Syrphid Fly visiting (Sphegina spp.). These flies are common visitors to woodland natives in early spring, and they seem to have a preference for white flowers. They feed on both nectar and pollen of Long-Styled Sweet Cicely. 

They resemble a thread-waisted wasp, with narrowed waists, and an over-sized rear femur. Larvae develop in water-logged wood as well as under wet bark. Look for these Syrphid Flies on Bishop’s Cap, Tall Meadowrue, Marsh Marigold and Goat’s Beard in the spring.

Small Sweat Bees (Lasioglossum spp.) visit Cicely flowers for both nectar and pollen. Nectar is easily accessible for short-tongued bees as the tiny flowers are shallow.

Cicely also attracts beneficial insects like this Tachinid Fly, possibly a Siphona spp. Tachinid Flies lap up nectar with their sponge-like mouthparts. Adults lay eggs near or on their prey, primarily caterpillars, and the hatching larvae feed on their hosts.

I have also seen some day-flying moths visiting Cicely flowers for nectar, but did not get a photo.

Cicely foliage stays attractive throughout the summer months in the landscape but it does produce seeds with fine hairs that stick to animal fur and clothing.

If you have a shady to part sun location with average soils, Cicely is an excellent candidate.

Wild Lupine Insect Visitors

Wild Lupine ~ Lupinus perennis 

Wild Lupine is a native perennial of dry, sandy sites in full sun. Flowering from late April/early May into June, the flower color ranges from light blue to dark purple.

Because of its early flowering time, overwintering queen Bumble Bees or their female offspring will visit the flowers. The irregular flower form means that the larger Bumble Bees don't have too much difficulty prying open the lower wing petals to reveal the reward inside.

Bombus auricomis

According to Illinois Wildflowers, there is no nectar reward provided by Wild Lupine, and pollen is forcibly ejected into the faces of bees.

Butterflies and moths will visit the flowers looking for nectar but come away with no reward. I photographed this Hummingbird Clearwing Moth this spring on our Wild Lupine flowers.

I also observed many Mason Bees (Osmia spp.) visiting Wild Lupine flowers this spring. They start with their rear legs prying open the petals, get a start on it opening, then use their mid and forelegs to hold the flowers open.

Wild Lupine and Mason Bees were built for each other, as Mason Bees collect pollen on their abdomens. Perfect for where the fused stamens are located just above the bottom keel, rubbing off some pollen for cross-pollination onto the Mason Bee abdomen.

Look for Mining Bees (Andrena spp.) a ground nesting native bee that emerges in early spring and visits flowers to collect pollen and nectar for nest provisioning.

Small Carpenter Bees (Ceratina spp.) also look in vain for nectar on flowers that have been forced open and are accessible as they cannot pry open the petals themselves.

Wild Lupine is a larval host plant to several butterfly and moth species, the most notable is the specialist Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa) an endangered butterfly.

Fall Mining Bees

I was surprised to see Mining Bees (Andrena spp.) recently on goldenrod and aster flowers. Until now, I've associated Mining Bees with early spring, as they are one of the first types of native bees I observe emerging in the spring.

But it turns out there are many species of Mining Bees that specialize on late season natives.

"Several bees are oligoleges of Solidago spp. (Goldenrods). These species include: Andrena hirticincta, Andrena nubecula, Andrena placata, Andrena simplex, Andrena solidaginis...)" (Illinois Wildflowers)

Mining Bees females carry the pollen on the "upper part of their hind legs, seemingly in their 'armpits'." (Attracting Native Pollinators)

They are also usually quite hairy, perhaps to regulate their body temperature in early spring and late fall when they're most active.

Mining bees nest in the ground in sandy soil. Their nests are parasitized by Cuckoo Bees (Nomada spp.).

If you have Aster or Goldenrod species in your landscape, be sure to be on the lookout for Mining Bees visiting the flowers.

Native Plant of the Week: Heart-Leaved Aster ~ Symphyotrichum cordifolium

Heart-Leaved Aster ~ Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Aster cordifolius)

Heart-Leaved Aster is a very versatile native perennial. It can withstand well drained, dry soils in partial shade as well as full sun. One of the earlier flowering Asters, it is an important fall plant for pollinators preparing to overwinter.

As the common name suggests, the leaves are heart shaped with a short stalk.

Flower color can range from a pale blue-white to medium blue-purple. It is a tall native reaching heights of 4 feet in richer, moister soils.

The flowers are arranged in branched clusters, forming a slightly cone-shaped flowerhead.

You will find Heart-Leaved Aster in woodland openings or partially shaded understories, as well as in dry, sunny open sites. It will reseed heavily if planted in rich soils.

It is an excellent native perennial to utilize in woodlands after removing an understory of invasive European Buckthorn. It helps keep out other invasive species such as Garlic Mustard from encroaching into the void.

Fall emerging Mining Bees (Andrena spp.) love to visit the flowers, along with Bumble Bees.

Heart-Leaved Aster 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.

Golden Alexander Faunal Associations

Golden Alexander ~ Zizia aurea


Golden Alexander has been a great performer in our yard on our sunny, sandy hillside. Flowering right now, it provides excellent early season color.

It's a taller perennial native, reaching heights of around 36" with bright yellow, umbel flowers. Plant in combination with Wild Lupines or Prairie Phlox which flower around the same time.

The number and variety of insect visitors to the Golden Alexanders has been fascinating to observe.

Many native bee species including Mining Bees (Andrena species) visit the flowers regularly.

Also three different species of Bumble Bees, the larger ones weigh down the flower heads as they land.

Several Syrphid (Flower) flies also like to visit the flowers.

With all the insect activity on the flowers above, the anthers and bits of pollen were falling to the leaves below where this tiny Sunflower Maggot fly was feeding.

Some of the first flowers I've seen the Northern Paper Wasp visit this spring were Golden Alexanders.

And a beautiful black and yellow, tube dwelling Mason Wasp (Euodynerus foraminatus) was also a common sight.

Many of the stems just below the flowerheads were covered in black aphids, sucking away on the plant juices and providing the tending ants with a nectar reward.

It didn't take long for the ladybird beetles to notice the aphids. Many were crawling around on top and below the flower heads checking out the aphid activity.

Just a day later, ladybird beetle eggs had been deposited near the aphid clusters. The hatching larvae love to feed on aphids. What good biological control in action.

This parasitic wasp was checking out the aphids as well, possibly preparing to parasitize the aphids or the soon to be hatching lady bird beetle larvae.

Golden Alexanders fall in the Carrot or Apiaceae family, which are one of several larval host plants for Swallowtail butterflies. I'll be watching for caterpillars soon.

Native Plant of the Week: Wild Lupine ~ Lupinus perennis

Wild Lupine ~ Lupinus perennis


Wild Lupine is in full bloom in our yard right now. This native Lupine is smaller than the non-native, naturalized Large-Leaved Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), reaching heights of around 14 inches in our dry, sandy soil.

The palmately divided leaves are very attractive in their own right, offering a wonderful contrast to other native perennial foliage.

This is a great native for hot, dry sites and poor soils. Plant near the front or edge of your landscape so you can observe and enjoy all the different types of pollinators that visit the flowers.

Two species of Bumble Bees were visiting the flowers this week. Their large size makes nectaring on the flower a bit challenging, but their advantage over the smaller bees is they can easily pry apart the petals to reach inside the flowers.

The smaller Mason Bees (Osmia species) pry open the flowers with their rear legs, then use all six to keep it open so they can reach further inside the flower.

Mining Bees (Andrena species) also like visiting Wild Lupine flowers.

I also spotted a day flying Clearwing moth visiting the flowers. They will hover like Hummingbirds unfurling their long proboscis and inserting it into the flowers. With this sophisticated technique, there's no need for them to pry open the flowers.

Seeds form in hairy pods that are held upright on the stem. This is an easy plant to propagate from seed, cold stratify in moist sand in the fridge over the winter and scarify (scratch) the seed coat before planting in the spring.

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

Wild Lupine is native to eastern North America. See map for range.

Large Flowered Bellwort Insect Visitors

Large Flowered Bellwort ~ Uvularia grandiflora


The Large Flowered Bellwort is one of my favorite spring flowering natives. Bright yellow flowers twist and dangle downwards from 12" high stems.

The insects like this perennial woodland native too, it's offering a nectar reward unlike the Bloodroot and Rue Anemone flowering around the same time.

One interesting feature about this plant is that the stem looks as though it pierces through the leaf like an earring because the base of the leaf surrounds the stem.

Large Flowered Bellwort is found in mesic to dry woodlands. Deer do like to browse on the foliage so if you have an abundance of deer prepare to be disappointed one day when you discover this native has been browsed over night.

A large Mining Bee (Andrena subgenus Melandrena) resembling a bumble bee was a common visitor to the Bellwort flowers. Their hairy bodies help keep them warm in cooler spring temperatures.

Several smaller Andrena bees were flying around the flowers too, but most did not stop by for nectar as the flowers were being blown around by the wind.

A tiny red-eyed vinegar fly was curious about what the large Mining Bee was up to (look for the fly at the top of the opening). These flies will seek out nectar in the spring before their more favored meal of rotting fruit is available.

And a slightly larger fly species was looking for a way up into the flower to feed on some nectar.

Tiny Sweat bees (Lasioglossum species) were also abundant. More than one would emerge from the same flower.

A triangular shaped, three parted seed capsule will develop later in the summer. The seeds are dispersed by ants who are attracted to the protein-rich fleshy elaiosome that is attached to each seed.