Kip’s Comments - July 27, 2024
Beautiful, But We Have A Problem
Our wet spring has been a blessing for our pollinator habitat that was seeded and pretty much inactive last year during the drought. With frequent rains we now have a variety of wild plants and grasses pushing up with welcome new additions showing frequently. The views are very pretty.
But, we have a problem. As I explore the area I am finding virtually no bees, very few butterflies and moths, maybe a couple of dragonflies, and once in a while some flies. Other insects are found occasionally, but not often. I want to believe that establishing pollinator habitat was a good thing and meeting a need, but were we too late? The habitat is present, but the pollinators are absent. Keys to the success of life are noticeably missing.
I am not sure what we can to fill the void, if anything. Roaming the plants and seeing the blossoms is exciting, but the absence of insects, butterflies, and moths is disappointing. Planting seeds was one effort, but how do we reintroduce the much needed pollinators? I hope we are not too late - on our ground and across the landscape.
Following are images recorded this morning. Notice what was missing, even though I had my macro equipment out and ready to work. The smaller species were just not present. This is troubling…
Black-eyed Susan - Image 898317
Chipping Sparrow (Singing) - Image 898440
Garden Cosmos - Image 898337
Golden Ragwort - Image 898344
Indigo Bunting - Image 898648
Obedient Plant - Image 898371
Queen Anne's Lace - Image 898375
Sulfur Cosmos - Image 898398
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly - Image 898520
Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm) - Image 898423
