A brown-black bee on Joe-Pye Weed. In general, bees prefer white, blue, violet, purple and yellow flowers, but cannot see the color red. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
Milkweed is a critical resource for monarch butterflies in all life stages, including this pupating example heading towards forming a chrysalis. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
As you consider what sorts of flowers to plant, remember that in general, perennials and native species like Joe-Pye Weed, Common Milkweed and Goldenrod have an innate ability to attract native pollinators, like these Fritillary butterflies. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
A brown-black bee on Joe-Pye Weed. In general, bees prefer white, blue, violet, purple and yellow flowers, but cannot see the color red. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
Milkweed is a critical resource for monarch butterflies in all life stages, including this pupating example heading towards forming a chrysalis. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
As you consider what sorts of flowers to plant, remember that in general, perennials and native species like Joe-Pye Weed, Common Milkweed and Goldenrod have an innate ability to attract native pollinators, like these Fritillary butterflies. (Ellen Snyder PHOTO)
Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes, but many embrace a common mission — keeping fruits, nuts and vegetables in our diets by pollinating commercial operations and home gardens alike. Insect pollinators contribute substantially to the U.S. economy, an estimated 34 billion dollars annually, according to a current study by University of Pittsburg and Penn State, and are vital to the security of our food systems.
Unfortunately in the current state of universally dreadful headlines, with each day delivering bad news stories big and small, the plight of pollinators is in the focus as well. The decline of the honeybee (a non-native species introduced to America by early settlers in the 1600s), and the phenomena of colony collapse disorder (CCD) is this country, is a widely publicized dilemma.Â
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