Autumn is in the air, but the garden is far from finished. As I picked raspberries this morning while it was chilly enough to thwart the wasps, I thought of the pollinators and whether there were enough blossoms to keep them busy. Here are a few ideas for late-season blooms that will provide food for ...
Read More | Pest PatrolWhen we think of pollinators in our gardens, bees and butterflies often steal the spotlight. However, there's another group of unsung heroes that play a vital role in our ecosystems: hover flies, also known as flower flies or syrphid flies. These inconspicuous insects might resemble house flies, bees, or wasps, but they hold a unique ...
Read More | Wildlife Gardening JournalIn my gardens, bumble bees are some of my favorite visitors. Besides being exceptional pollinators, I think they are incredibly beautiful insects. I liken them to flying school buses because they don't appear to be particularly aerodynamic, yet there they are, buzzing away in short flights between my flowers. Unfortunately, American bumble bees are becoming ...
Read More | Wildlife Gardening JournalThe news from this year's monarch butterfly migrations appears to be good for both eastern and western populations. The news about western populations is especially good. Last year was so disastrous that people were openly predicting their inevitable extinction. Monarch migrations are complex affairs, and, due to many diverse threats, both populations' numbers have been ...
Read More | Wildlife Gardening JournalHere is a tale of two bumble bees and an example of why double-petaled cultivars may not be the best for pollinators. About Hibiscus syriacus (rose of Sharon) I have several Hibiscus syriacus shrubs in my yard. These plants are native to Asia, (I've seen both China and India cited), but are favorites in gardens ...
Read More | Wildlife Gardening JournalThis weekend, I encountered several different wasps while working in my yard. I'm not afraid of most wasps, but I'm not deathly allergic to their stings, either. Even if you are, it might not be necessary to run for the bug killer. Most wasps in the garden are non-aggressive; only a few are likely to ...
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