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Common evening primrose plant (Oenothera biennis) hosts the beautiful pink Primrose moth (Schinia florida). Primrose moths hide inside evening primrose flowers during the day; as the yellow flowers fade to pink, the moths are perfectly camouflaged. Look for these beautiful pink moths from summer into fall on fields and roadsides - the habitat for common evening primrose. Photos of the Primrose moth on Common evening primrose. Photos by Louise Washer.

By Holly Kocet We all want to help our threatened insect pollinators by planting pollinator gardens. But are we making the best possible plant choices? Bee “specialists” require pollen from a specific genus or family of plants. Researchers have discovered that while many bees collect nectar from a variety of plants, it is a different story when it comes to pollen. Bee “specialists” require pollen from a specific genus or family of plants. Often referred to as ‘host’ plant specialization, it is a trait also shared by butterfly caterpillars. No host plant, no pollinator. These specialist bees emerge from their nests the same time their host plant begins to flower; a mutual benefit since flowers often depend on the pollination of a specific bee species. Providing plants for specialist bees will also benefit generalist pollinators like our endearing bumble bee whose very survival depends on availability of floral resources, spring through fall. See what plants benefit Specialist Pollinators

"After the Vermont state legislature overrode a veto from Governor Phil Scott, Vermont has now become the second state in the U.S. to ban neonicotinoids, or neonics, a type of pesticide that is particularly harmful to bees. The ban comes at the start of Pollinator Week." Read the full article here .

Photo of Great Golden Digger Wasp by Karalyn Lamb In mid to late summer in the northeastern US, several species of large solitary wasp frequent gardens, parks, and other open spaces.  Despite their threatening appearance, solitary wasps are totally harmless. They are more interested in hunting other invertebrates–like spiders, flies, and bees–than they are in you. R ead more  from the Tufts Pollinator Initiative blog.

If so, you have the chance to see the most important floral specialists in agriculture, native solitary bees of two genera, Peponapis and Xenoglossa, the so-called "squash bees". Look at your squash’s flowers during the first few hours after sunrise. Male squash bees will be darting between flowers, searching for mates. By noon, they will be fast asleep in the withered flowers. Pruinose Squash Bees in a zucchini flower. Photo by Karalyn Lamb. Before Europeans brought honeybees to the New World, squash bees were busy aiding the adoption, domestication, spread, and production of squashes and gourds by indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. Read more from the US Forest Service Pollinator of the Month webpage.

"Most consider butterflies the crown jewels of the Lepidoptera world, but somewhere between where the trees meet the sky and shrubs anchor their roots in the earth live some fantastic moths, which depend on woody plants for most if not all of their lives. They range from large to small and soft to stinging. Some never eat as adults and some feed on flowers during the day, right outside your window." Learn more about Moths and their Woody Host Plants HERE. Photo of a Luna Moth by Karalyn Lamb Moths are incredibly important pollinators, some even say they are more efficient than day-flying pollinators such as bees! "Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on Earth and scientists estimate there are 150,000 to 500,000 moth species. Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Most moths are nocturnal, but some fly in daylight like butterflies." Learn more about National Moth Week HERE!

By Elizabeth Craig Photo of a Luna Moth The best way to protect moths from light pollution is to turn off exterior lights when possible and to shade windows in lighted rooms at night. If you have to use outdoor lighting, consider lights that are motion activated, dim low-voltage lighting or LED lights with a warm color temperature. They are all less attractive to moths and other insects. And ditch that electronic “bug zapper” if you have one. They are still manufactured and widely available despite the overwhelming research showing they are useless for controlling pests such as mosquitos. One study examining the effectiveness of bug zappers found that of the 13,789 moths and other insects killed during a summer season by one typical residential bug zapper, only 31 of them were biting insects. Protecting moths should be a priority. They are even more hardworking than our daytime pollinators. And to learn more about how light pollution is driving the demise of many insect populations, check out The Devastating Role of Light Pollution in the Insect Apocalypse.

Calling it the “new DDT,” scientists, educators, and environmentalists met at a conference hosted by the Connecticut Pesticide Reform coalition, at Trinity College in Hartford, CT on March 11, 2024, to discuss the danger to humans and wildlife from neonicotinoids, a type of pesticide often used on crops, golf courses, lawns, and gardens. “Neonics, the New DDT—What You Need to Know About the Pesticides Harming Connecticut’s Birds, Bees, Wildlife and People” was aimed at educating environmental advocates, state residents, and government officials on how they can join forces to reduce the use of these pesticides in Connecticut. Pollinator Pathway is part of the Connecticut Pesticide Reform coalition which is working to persuade the Connecticut General Assembly to pass a bill strictly regulating the use of neonicotinoids, also known as neonics. In Connecticut, neonics are used mainly on lawns and golf courses and, on a smaller scale, in agriculture. To learn more and see a summary of the presentations and a recording, visit CT Audubon's Conference report HERE.

Love blueberries? Did you know that they generally bloom in the spring and are most effectively pollinated by Buzz Pollinators like bumblebees? Black and Gold Bumblebee  (Bombus auricomus) queen on Blueberry. Photo by Heather Holm. “An essential partner in the production of blueberries are the bees that are the primary pollinators for blueberry flowers.  While commercial growers may use Honey Bees to pollinate their crops, there are several species of native bees that are much more efficient blueberry pollinators. Blueberry flowers are bell-shaped and the pollen is most efficiently dispensed from the flowers’ anthers through a process called sonication, or ‘buzz’ pollination.  Buzz pollination is a process of releasing pollen by which the pollinator clings to the flower and vibrates its wing muscles without moving its wings.  This sets up enough of a vibration for the anthers to discharge a dusting of pollen on the flower visitor.  The wing vibration makes a buzzing sound, which gives this technique its name. Some of the pollen will be carried from flower to flower to enable pollination, while the rest is a pay-off for this service, and will be eaten by the bee and her larvae.  Bees drink nectar, but pollen is also a very important food source for them. Honey Bees are not capable of buzz pollination, but several families of native bees are, including bumble bees, large carpenter bees, mining (Andrenid) bees, many sweat bees, some mason (Osmia) bees and Melitta bees.  Highbush and Lowbush Blueberry shrubs evolved with these bees who are native to the same region and habitats.  These native bees are able to handle the flowers more quickly and dispense and carry more pollen than the Honey Bees who lack this athletic skill.  Mason bees generally are very swift and efficient pollinators, able to process flowers many times more quickly than Honey Bees. Blueberries are not the only crop that is most efficiently pollinated through sonication.  Cranberries, tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, peppers and eggplant are some of the other crops that have a higher rate of pollination when native bees with this skill are available to help pollinate their flowers.” Check out the full post from The Natural Web.

In summer, pollinators are not often hard-pressed to find flowers. In fact, you might support them without even knowing it: community gardens, flowering herbs on front steps and balconies, or milkweed growing in a tree-well all provide food for pollinators during the hottest, longest days of the year. Mining bee on Red Maple flower. Photo by Heather Holm. But what about in spring? It’s not as easy to accidentally support pollinators during these cooler months of the year when the ground has just begun to thaw; there haven’t been that many warm days; and persistent rain (as continues this year) can impede pollinators from finding food. Indeed, queen bumble bees emerge from hibernation in early spring and need immediate access to both nectar and pollen in order to start their colonies for the year, and many solitary bees and hover flies are only active for several weeks in spring: no flowers means these pollinators cannot make it. So, how can you support pollinators in April and May? Think big. Plant native flowering shrubs or trees Read more from The Tufts Pollinator Initiative blog.

Have you spotted any blooming willows yet this spring? As Keystone Plants, native willows are extremely valuable for wildlife. Entomologist Douglas Tallamy ranks native willows as the number two woody plant family – after oaks –  in their ability to support butterflies and moths. And according to Dr. Robert Gegear of the Beecology Project, early-blooming native willows are important nectar and pollen sources for at-risk bee and butterfly species. So how can we incorporate more of these beautiful and critically important native trees and shrubs into our landscapes? Naturalist Cathy Smith has the answers here. Photo of a Two-spotted Bumblebee on Pussy Willow Karalyn Lamb

No Mow May really took flight this past year! We have seen hundreds of news articles, many new towns creating their own No Mow April/May/Spring resolutions, and we have received so many thoughtful questions on this surprisingly complex issue. Not mowing for one month is not a magic fix, but studies have shown that reducing or eliminating mowing in the spring can increase bee abundance and species diversity when compared to more frequently mowed lawns. No one is in charge of No Mow May, No Mow April, or any of the other variations. There are no set rules. What you choose to do is up to you, and what your local ordinances allow. Do what you can now, make incremental changes over time, and learn as you go. Watch the native bees in your yard. When do they emerge? What native plants do they like? Add some height variation with spring-blooming native shrubs and trees, and see what visitors you attract to your yard.  More information from Xerces Society here:  “No Mow May and Low Mow Spring.” Watch this Xerces webinar about how to make No Mow May work for your own garden situation. Print out a Pollinator Pathway No Mow May yard sign here.