EcoBeneficial Interview: Pollinators of Native Plants With Heather Holm

[@lyndacampbell827]

Excellent interview!

[@blujardin3204]

What gorgeous and fascinating photos - they really capture the richness and vitality of the macro world that's happening right under our noses! This past summer, I was just amazed at the cloud of teeny tiny insects buzzing about our native achillea millefolium I planted in spring. I almost went cross-eyed trying to get a good look at them, but it was so rewarding to see how a small effort on my part to plant them was helping sustain our pollinator communities.

[@charlesbale8376]

Wonderful information, thank you for sharing.

[@Agr414]

Awesome info. I was recently mixing some compost into my raised bed and I suddenly started hearing a buzzing sound. A few moments later I began to see the soil move and then 4 large bees emerged from the ground and took their first flight. It was a great way to start out spring

[@AlexZorach]

This is great that you're helping to get the word out about the value of native pollinators, and how to attract and support them. I've had great results with attracting native pollinators by growing native flowering plants. I've found such a huge range of things, bees, moths, butterflies, wasps, flies, even ants, pollinating flowers. Some plants are definitely better than others; for example, I find black-eyed susans and brown-eyed susans attract a lof of insect herbivores, but relatively few pollinators. I also love seeing specialized pollinator-plant relationships. I saw a beautiful hummingbird moth on our Monarda didyma. I also love how some plants, like goldenrods, seem to attract a dazzling array of pollinators even to a single plant. I also have seen some beautiful shiny blue wasps or bees attracted to mint-family plants, like Pycnanthemum muticum.

[@davidclark5794]

Another great interview, Kim!

[@growinglongisland]

Lots of great info It really made me think of what I could incorporate into my garden

[@growinglongisland]

+Saeed Ahmed I love gardening

[@TheUtuado]

Some wasps eat the monarch caterpillars.