Planting for Pollinators of all kinds.

 

Lantana (possibly 'Radiation')

Pollinators, sometimes called 'vectors' when they are carriers of diseases, come in many different forms and species. When planting a garden for them you have to understand the life cycle or their feeding habits to allow for the greatest diversity.

One customer I encountered totally dumbfounded me because of her lack of education on butterflies, specifically, Monarchs. She wanted to plant milkweed to attract Monarchs, their primary source of food, and a host plant for the caterpillars. She didn't want that. She only wanted the butterflies not the caterpillars. Right? After giving her a brief education she was still insistent on not wanting caterpillars to eat the plants was there anything she could spray. I said no, there's no way of stopping the butterflies from laying eggs. She picked up a plant and went inside where I recall she asked someone in the pesticide aisle how to kill caterpillars. They gave her the appropriate product and off she went.

Folks... friends... educated people reading this... this is what is wrong with our world. Back on topic.

So, understanding and planning for the entire life cycle of a pollinator is key to having a busy garden that draws a diverse collection of life. Not only butterflies, but bees of course, moths, hoverflies and hummingbirds. When you only plant for one species, you will have very poor results

Butterflies do not all have the same timing for their reproduction. The weather and seasons have a great deal to do with when you see certain species. They are insects and as such need a range of warm temperatures so they can actually fly around and find food. So people are greatly disappointed when they come in to look for milkweed to attract Monarchs in February. Way too early for either.

Insects have developed their timing based on the timing of available food sources and host plants to continue their species. Monarchs and milkweed have the same season, Swallowtails, Painted Lady, and a little known species called 'Skippers'(which used to be all over lawns but are hardly seen anymore).

 

Zinnias

Zinnias are a wonderful open face flower that attracts a wide variety of pollinataors. Butterflies prefer plants they can land and feed on as they 'taste' what they are standing on. Hence why you see them flitting from flower to flower without feeding. 'Nah, this isn't what I'm looking for'. Monarchs and Swallowtails both feed on Zinnia's for the nectar but not use it as a host plant. 

(This is a leftover plant from a tenant that just moved out)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a wonderful example of a neglected windowbox of herbs that is perfect for pollinators. At the back left you have oregano it looks like, that has flowered and at the right is cilantro. As 'ugly' as it looks it is helping the local population to pollinate. At the front in the small pot is a rather sad looking basil.

The only problem is it's position. Tucked up against the wall it will be in shade most of the day which means butterflies won't likely find it. (Cilantro doesn't care it'll toss seed whether anything has walked on it or not).

Monarchs are usually the first to show up in the spring, after that I've noticed Painted Ladies occasionally. They are an 'irregular' migrant so they migrate when they feel the time is right. About four years ago there was a 'super migration' and the county was reporting clouds of the butterflies making their way up from Mexico. It was a wonderful sight and I was lucky to be in a large canyon park to see them drifting through. They can be seen all over North America and Britain as well.

After those, if you have any varieties of passion vine in the neighborhood you will likely have Gulf Fritillary most of the summer. The vines are a host plant for them and can devastate an entire vine in a matter of days. There are a few varieties of vine they don't visit but that's not our topic for today.

Next in the line up is Swallowtails. There are at least two varieties I've seen possibly more. The Black or Anise Swallowtail will visit the cilantro plant up there, carrots, parsley, dill, fennel, all those family of plants. They are a host and nectar plant for them. The other one is the Giant Swallowtail which much to our dismay hosts on citrus trees. 

Plants for any butterfly but those in particular are Verbena, Echinacea, Milkweed (yes they like the nectar), Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) and Pentas. So when you have a good sunny spot with some room, consider those and of course don't forget Sunflowers! Edible or not they are a perfect flower for butterflies. Purples, blues and whites are favorite flower colors but don't rule out all the others.

Now I mentioned hummingbirds as pollinators. What the heck do you think they do with that long tongue? They have to get into a flower, usually tubular and red, orange, sometimes purple sage flowers as well. They get pollen on their little forehead and beak then move on to another flower and voila! Pollinating happens!

Be aware that some flowers will also attract bees. They like purples, blues and whites, but I have seen Iceland Poppies being swarmed by them in the spring. Their little pollen baskets on their legs chock full and I kept waving at them telling them to go home and clean off. Bees are especially attracted to Rosemary and other blue flowers, which is another story. When I was growing up there was a house up the street that had their entire bank planted with rosemary. If we had to walk up the street (no sidewalks of course) we would walk on the far side during the spring because there were so many bees out on the flowers. Another issue customers have is just that. 'I want to plant flowers but don't want to attract bees'. I hang my head and count to ten, I can understand if they are allergic but I ask one thing, 'Are you going to be sitting out next to the plants all day? Are they going to be where you're eataing?' No? Then don't worry about it. 

What kind of plant is that? Pretty purple flower on there! 😏😄 Garden joke! That is a Jacaranda flower that fell on a Mock Orange bush. Our Jacaranda is in full bloom and oh yes, the bees have noticed. I took a picture through my window screen (and after I took the picture an orange butterfly flitted by!), 

but then took this picture out on our balcony:

So, planning, planning and planting for the long term. Understanding when flowers are at bloom peak, what is out there that feeds on them one way or another and knowing that you don't have to have milkweed year round although the butterflies are starting to catch on.

So just because something is eating your plants, doesn't mean it's a pest. Unless it's eating something you want to eat.

Today is particularly noisy. Chainsaw in one direction and a grinder chewing up what they're cutting. Noisy noisy! Oh and it's garden day so the guys mowed the lawn and are rolling the trash can around...sigh.

Such is life with plants and gardens.