Bring Back the Pollinators by Marikay Shellman

Summer is well upon us & your gardens should have signs of active beneficial insects such as few holes in a leaf or flower, a yellow stem.  These are signs of insects thriving in a micro ecosystem.   If you have planted native plants which are well adapted to the environment from which they came, they are less likely to be victim to pests.  Rest assured that if you see pests, predators are nearby.   Example: a lady beetle devouring an aphid.

Wonderful bugs to welcome into your garden are ground beetles who hide during the day just below the ground surface & emerge at night to feast on dozens of pests, slugs & snails & non-native spongy moths.

All bee species pollinate berries, fruits, nuts, and seeds including wasps which not only are important pollinators but also predators of garden pests.  Don’t be so quick to get rid of these beneficial insects.

Syrphid flies, also known as flower flies, look a lot like bees.  Not only are they great pollinators, the syrphid fly larvae can devour several hundred aphids before entering its pupal stage.

While you should rid your garden of invasive non-native weeds, leave your native plant beds a bit on the unmanaged, wild side which will provide food and nesting habitat for pollinators.  Beware of mulch.  Colored or rubber mulch is toxic to pollinators & heavy mulch blocks the ground for soil nesting bees.

Remember that the vast majority of insects are not pests.  That caterpillar that is devouring a juicy leaf in your garden will turn into a beautiful butterfly or moth.