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Pollinators - Blog Posts
Some of you may have heard about Monarch butterflies being added to the Threatened species list in the US and be planning to immediately rush out in spring and buy all the milkweed you can manage to do your part and help the species.
And that's fantastic!! Starting a pollinator garden and/or encouraging people and businesses around you to do the same is an excellent way to help not just Monarchs but many other threatened and at-risk pollinator species!
However.
Please please PLEASE do not obtain Tropical Milkweed for this purpose!
Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)--also commonly known as bloodflower, Mexican butterflyweed, and scarlet milkweed--will likely be the first species of milkweed you find for sale at most nurseries. It'll be fairly cheap, too, and it grows and propagates so easily you'll just want to grab it! But do not do that!
Tropical milkweed can cause a host of issues that can ultimately harm the butterflies you're trying to help, such as--
Harboring a protozoan parasite called OE (which has been linked to lower migration success, reductions in body mass, lifespan, mating success, and flight ability) for long periods of time
Remaining alive for longer periods, encouraging breeding during migration time/overwintering time as well as keeping monarchs in an area until a hard freeze wherein which they die
Actually becoming toxic to monarch caterpillars when exposed to warmer temperatures associated with climate change
However--do not be discouraged!! There are over 100 species of milkweed native to the United States, and plenty of resources on which are native to your state specifically! From there, you can find the nurseries dedicated to selling native milkweeds, or buy/trade for/collect seeds to grow them yourself!!
The world of native milkweeds is vast and enchanting, and I'm sure you'll soon find a favorite species native to your area that suits your growing space! There's tons of amazing options--whether you choose the beautiful pink vanilla-smelling swamp milkweed, the sophisticated redring milkweed, the elusive purple milkweed, the alluring green antelopehorn milkweed, or the charming heartleaf milkweed, or even something I didn't list!
And there's tons of resources and lots of people willing to help you on your native milkweed journey! Like me! Feel free to shoot me an ask if you have any questions!
Just. PLEASE. Leave the tropical milkweed alone. Stay away.
TLDR: Start a pollinator garden to help the monarchs! Just don't plant tropical milkweed. There's hundreds of other milkweeds to grow instead!
how do u actually save bees?
Front Yard - Natural Stone Pavers
Amid widespread concern about the decline of wild pollinating insects like bees and butterflies, University of Sussex researchers have discovered that moths are particularly vital pollinators for nature.
Studying 10 sites in the South East of England throughout July 2021, the Sussex researchers found that 83% of insect visits to bramble flowers were made during the day. While the moths made fewer visits during the shorter summer nights, notching up only 15% of the visits, they were able to pollinate the flowers more quickly.
As a result, the researchers concluded that moths are more efficient pollinators than day-flying insects such as bees, which are traditionally thought of as “hard-working.” While day-flying insects have more time available to transfer pollen, moths were making an important contribution during the short hours of darkness.
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Got a nice video of a pollinator doing some pollinating.
Little things are what really matter
Little things are what really matter.
What are little things?
Simple sweet gestures like waiting for you while you're tying your shoelaces, pulling the door, if you're slow then waiting for you, making you understand things without you feeling dumb, holding the umbrella for you, giving up the last bite of ice cream, being patient with you, sending you sky pictures because you love them, being silly together, reminding you that you matter, celebrating your tiny wins, and being there with you when you feel lost. Little things can make or break bonds, so next time don't hesitate to go the extra mile for the ones that matter and are close to your heart.
© - shelovesskiez
Squishy learns about pollinator plants
Happy Earth Day! 🌎🌱🦋♻️🌊🪲
Miss Do Bee 🐝 is being a very busy Bee 🐝... #honeybee # honeybees #bee #bees #bees🐝 #pollinate #pollinators #pollination #beepollin #beepollen #bachelorbutton #bachelorbuttons #flowerpollen #flowersofsacramento #flowerstagram #nature #naturephotography #flower #flowers #sacramento #SacramentoCa #sac360 #sacto #honey (at Elmhurst, Sacramento, California)
Frilly Grass Tubeworm Moth (Acrolophus mycetophagus), taken May 25, 2025, in Georgia, US
A beautiful cheerleader resting gracefully on a leaf... This moth is a puffball! I'm always excited to see new moths, and I was very excited to spot this tubeworm moth from afar! I love how fluffy and extravagant they look, almost like they're wearing a fur scarf. For this species in particular, I really like how the scales on its mid-wing black patterning are raised, though I didn't see that in reference images I looked at to ID it, so it may just be because this individual is young. Regardless, I wish this moth a very good beauty rest—it seems to be working!
Large Lace-border Moth (Scopula limboundata) (Top) and Dot-lined Wave (Idaea tacturata) (Bottom), taken May 20, 2025, in Georgia, US
At a glance, two quite similar looking moths! When put next to each other or under the experienced eye, though, they can be quite easily differentiated. S. limboundata has a creamy overall coloration, while I. tacturata is more white and brown. I. tacturata is also noticeably smaller when they're not cropped to be the same size lol. They do, however, have the same general pattern, even with the same dark dots on each of their wings! You can see, though, that I. tacturata has dots down its abdomen that S. limboundata lacks. Regardless of their similarities and differences, both are very striking moths!
Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon), male, taken May 14, 2025, in Georgia, US
My first skipper of the year, proudly showing his colors in the sunlight! Unlike most butterflies, this species displays very noticeable sexual dimorphism, males having bright orange/yellow blotches on their wings while females are mostly brown with some white spotting. They can often be seen perched on leaves, spreading their wings in the sunlight like little orange flowers!
Nomad Bees (Genus Nomada), taken May 5, 2025, in Georgia, US
Some little red bees! These guys are always super busy unless, of course, they're sleeping like in the third image! Yesterday the bees were quite gracious with their landing times, sitting still long enough for me to actually press the shutter button lol. Normally, they're flying around constantly, searching for the burrows of other bees to lay their eggs in!
Cuckoo Wasp (Family Chrysididae), taken May 5, 2025, in Georgia, US
I fear my photography career has peaked with this one. I don't think I've ever seen anything so cute in my life. This little lady was simply just sleeping on the stem of a leaf, completely unaware of the fact that I was frantically taking as many pictures of her as possible. In the end, she put out a single antenna to sense me better but never ended up moving, so I'd say my attempt to not disturb her was successful! I had no idea cuckoos slept like this—it's adorable!!! One billion more, please!!
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), taken April 24, 2025, in Georgia, US
What I believe is my first butterfly of the year, at least that I've been able to photograph! I saw what I think was a Blue Morpho in early, early spring, before almost anything was awake, but it flew off before I could get a picture. Since then, it's been some skippers and a few Tiger Swallowtails, but never when I have my camera on me! This guy was touched down because of a storm. I went out right after the rain, when many flying insects are still reluctant to fly, and was able to get a couple decent pictures!
Maple Looper Moth (Parallelia bistriaris), taken April 19, 2025, in Georgia, US
A gorgeous moth amongst the grass! This is good proof that just because an animal is brown doesn't mean it's boring. I find that brown animals are often some of the most gorgeous, especially through the camera lens. I initially startled this moth into flight, but recognized it as a maple looper from afar. A good thing, too, because I would have ignored it if I thought it was a Genus Renia moth! Looking for moths in the leaves often feels like trying to find a rare, unique moth in the midst of a sea of Renias—they're just so numerous...
Rufous-backed Cellophane Bee (Colletes thoracicus), female, taken April 19, 2025, in Georgia, US
The best photo I've gotten so far of one of the most frustrating subjects. There are currently hundreds of cellophane bees swarming in an area of my woods. New adults are emerging and in the process of recreating all of their parents' nest holes. Many would disagree, but there's something calming about sitting in the center of hundreds of buzzing bees, especially when you know they won't hurt you! The only bad thing about these guys is that they hate to sit still. Any time they land to inspect a prospective nest site, they do so fleetingly. There are so many bees that many are willing to fight for good spots, and males are simultaneously trying to mate with females that land for too long. It's chaos, but the welcome kind!
Metric Paper Wasp (Polistes metricus), taken April 18, 2025, in Georgia, US
A beautiful, sleek wasp in the afternoon sun! This individual was an extremely good sport and let me get in very close for photos! Typically, paper wasps are a bit skittish and prefer to keep their distance, but this one just seemed curious. It's always a good day when a wasp stops buzzing around and lets me get some nice pictures! They're usually so busy that it's impossible to get anything!
Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus), female, taken April 12, 2025, in Georgia, US
A nice hoverfly perching on a flower. While hoverflies are out year-round here, they're in full swing now! Along with dozens of adults, I've started to see larvae too! The larvae of many hoverflies (though not all) feed on small invertebrates, aphids being a favorite of some (aptly named "Aphideaters"). As adults, many become herbivores, feeding on plant nectar. This is the same strategy most insects employ. It's much easier to survive if adults and babies of the same species eat different things at different life stages—less competition!
Nomad Bees (Genus Nomada), taken April 12, 2025, in Georgia, US
Sleepy bees!! I found several nomad bees taking naps on the bare branches of some shrubs. None of them woke, even when I manhandled the branches for better pictures. I only see this species sleeping in this way, though I know other nomad bees do it. I assume other species use different objects to stay steady and that's why I haven't found them—it makes sense that larger bees would use larger anchors!
Wedgling Moth (Galgula partita), taken April 4, 2025, in Georgia, US
A small moth hidden in the leaves! This guy was super skittish, and I spent a couple minutes just chasing him around before I was able to get any pictures. More skittish flying insects like moths and grasshoppers have to be approached a certain way to minimize the chances of them fleeing, and that requires knowing exactly where they are before you get in startle range. Sometimes I have to purposefully make a moth or grasshopper fly a couple times before I finally see where they land and can approach correctly. This guy was a little difficult, but not the worst I've had to deal with!
Vetch Looper Moth (Caenurgia chloropha), taken April 2, 2025, in Georgia, US
It's new moth season! I'm seeing lots of inchworms dropping from the trees as well as lots of seasonal moths! It's nice to see something more than renia moths for once lol. This guy was a little skittish, but ultimately let me get some pictures. Most moths are much worse subjects!
Nomad Bee (Genus Nomada), taken March 28, 2025, in Georgia, US
I have never seen a bee sit so still in my life. I spent like 3 minutes trying to get a good photo of this guy (practicing with the raynox dcr-250) and he quite literally didn't even twitch the entire time. A couple minutes after I switched my focus from him to a jumping spider beneath him, he started buzzing and flying around again, but the period of stillness was just uncharacteristic of a nomad bee! Usually they don't even land long enough for me to look at them!
Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus), male, taken March 18, 2025, in Georgia, US
A lovely hover fly perching on a dandelion! Pollinators are out full force now, and that means that hover flies have more competition. Most hover flies have adopted a bee-mimicking appearance, likely to reduce competition and predation. This works a charm, as even most people can't tell the difference!
Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus), male, taken March 9, 2025, in Georgia, US
Gloomy days that are just slightly cold and a tad misty make for good days to hunt down sleepy flying insects! Although there are less around, those you find are much easier to photograph since they're all bedded down. This guy didn't even flinch when I got all up in his face. He kindly allowed me some side profiles, which show off his cool leg anatomy!
American Pelecinid Wasp (Pelecinus polyturator), taken July 29, 2024, in Georgia, US
My beautiful skinny queen.. How must it be to have such a perfect figure? For such an elegant looking insect, you'd think they'd be agile, but I've had these guys just. come at my face. They have collided with me, though they're not alone in that. Too many wasps have crashed into my face. How would you feel if you turned around and immediately received a face full of WASP?