Signs of Spring – Mining Bees

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Mary Anne Borge

After a long, snowy winter, signs of spring are everywhere. Starting early each morning, birds are singing, woodpeckers are drumming, and in the woods, you may hear a chorus of Spring Peepers or Wood Frogs. At our backyard feeder the other day I saw a male Goldfinch that had almost completed his change to summer plumage.

American Goldfinch

Chickadees are excavating nesting holes. Many birds have paired up for the mating season, both our year-round residents, and winter visitors who are getting ready to head back north to their breeding grounds.

Male and female Green-winged Teal at Abbott Marshlands

Pair of Blue-winged Teal at Abbott Marshlands

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) has been blooming for weeks, American Hazelnut ( Corylus Americana) joined in about March 19, and even Red Maples are in flower. Snow trillium and Hepatica are blooming, too.

Skunk Cabbage at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

Change is rapid this time of year. Spring ephemerals that were not even visible one day are a few inches above ground, some with buds, two or three days later. It’s amazing to think that these delicate plants easily work their way through their winter blanket of fallen leaves. This natural covering still provides warmth on cool spring nights, as it helps preserve moisture and prevent competing plants from taking hold in the soil, even after these spring flowers fully emerge.

Virginia Bluebells emerging from their winter blanket of leaves at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

Insects are out and about. I saw my first butterflies of the season this week – 3 anglewing sightings, probably all Eastern Commas, flitting about with only rare breaks. Can you spot the well-camouflaged butterfly in this photo?

Anglewing butterfly, probably Eastern Comma

Mining Bees (Andrena sp.) were very active this week, flying just above the leaf litter, moving steadily back and forth, occasionally taking a break.

Mining Bee (Andrena sp.) at Abbott Marshlands

Mining Bees are solitary. This means that each female excavates her own nest, lays her eggs in brood cells in the nest, and provisions them with food. In the case of Mining Bees, nests are excavated in the ground, a practice that gives this family its common name. Above ground, the nest entrances look a lot like the entrance to some ant colonies, but with bigger holes.

Although each female bee has her own nest, Mining bees often excavate their nests in close proximity to each other, in large aggregations of bees. At Abbott Marshlands, there were dozens of Mining Bee nest holes along and beyond the edges of the trail. Aggregations can be much larger still.

Mining Bees (Andrena sp.) at Abbott Marshlands

The bees in the picture above reminded me of two neighbors sitting on their front porches chatting. While I watched, another bee came in flying low right over them. The bee on the right ducked into her nest, but the bee on the left was receptive to the male bee’s advances.

Mining Bees (Andrena sp.) mating at Abbott Marshlands

There are about 400 species of Andrena bees in North America alone, hundreds more worldwide. They are abundant in spring, with many species foraging for food on a single plant species, or a few closely related species of plants. One species, Andrena erigeniae, relies almost exclusively on the pollen of Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica, C. caroliniana) as food for their offspring. Another species, Andrena erythronii, specializes on Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) as a food source to provision its brood cells for its larvae. Many Mining Bee species look very similar to each other, so sometimes the easiest way to tell them apart is by the plant on which they are foraging.

The Mining Bees I saw at Abbott Marshlands were near a location where there is a lot of Spring Beauty, and just a bit farther down the trail, a large colony of Trout Lily. It should be only a few more days before they start to bloom. Which flowers will these bees visit?

Resources

Eaton, Eric R.; Kauffman, Ken. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. 2007.

Gracie, Carol. Spring Wildflowers of the Northeast. 2012.

Mader, Eric; Shepherd, Matthew; Vaughan, Mace; Black, Scott Hoffman; LeBuhn, Gretchen. Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies. 2011.

Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/flower_insects/files/oligoleges.htm

Even Bald-faced Hornets Recycle

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Mary Anne Borge

During the winter, Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) nests are more visible than they are during the growing season when the woods are dense with leaves.

Bald-faced Hornet Nest in winter

This large nest looks like it is made of paper, and in fact it is. Initially the queen, and later the workers in the colony use their mandibles to scrape up and recycle bits of dead wood, then they mix the wood with their saliva to create the paper mache like substance from which they gradually construct their nest, adding new cells as the colony grows.

Bald-faced Hornet Nest in winter. The bottom has been removed, revealing the cells where larvae develop

These nests are generally not active in winter, except occasionally in the southernmost part of the Bald-faced Hornet’s range. All the colony members die as winter sets in, with the exception of the fertilized queen. She finds a safe, warm place to spend the winter, usually in or under a fallen log, in a hollow tree, or sometimes underground.

In spring, birds take advantage of these abandoned structures and rip away bits of the paper to use as building material in their own nests. If you look at the lower right section of the nest below, it looks like there is some recycled ‘paper’ along with the plant materials that were used in this construction.

Bird’s nest made from plant materials and wasp nest paper

Because paper is used in the construction of the nest, people often think this large football shaped shelter belongs to Paper Wasps. While Paper Wasps use the same materials for constructing their nests, the homes they build for their larvae are much smaller, and somewhat umbrella-shaped, like the one below.

Paper Wasp Nest

Paper Wasp (Polistes carolinus)

Bald-faced Hornets are named for the white markings on their face, and are sometimes called White faced Hornets. They also have white markings on the lower part of their abdomens.

Bald-faced Hornet feeding on nectar. Note the white facial markings that give this species its name, and the pollen on its head.

Does the word ‘hornet’ make you want to reach for a can of insecticide spray? Well, don’t! That’s almost never a good idea.

It may help to know that Bald-faced Hornets are not really hornets! They are wasps, one of the wasp species known as Yellowjackets. Ok, I get that this might not make you feel any more comfortable with them. We’re used to Eastern Yellowjackets relentlessly competing for picnic food, and they can be quite aggressive.

Eastern Yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons) on Goldenrod

It’s true that if Bald-faced Hornets think you are a threat to their nest, they may sting you, so it’s best to give an active nest a wide berth. As long as you do that, you are unlikely to have an unpleasant encounter with them.

Bald-faced Hornets are actually beneficial in several ways. Like many wasp species, they help to keep the insect population in balance. Bald-faced Hornets feed many types of insects to their developing offspring, and are especially fond of flies and even other Yellowjackets. They can be helpful by harvesting caterpillars for their offspring on a farm or near a vegetable garden – think unwanted Tomato Hornworns.

Bald-faced Hornet nectaring on asters

Adult Bald-faced Hornets feed primarily on nectar or other sweet treats like aphid honeydew. In the process, they provide pollination services to the flowers where they are drinking. And in spite of their size and stingers (in the case of females), Bald-faced Hornets may become a meal for a larger predator.

Bald-faced Hornets can make good neighbors, as long as you give them their space.

References:

Eaton, Eric R.; Kauffman, Ken. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. 2007.

http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/baldfaced-hornet

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/bald-faced-hornet

http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/bald-faced_hornet_712.html

http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/baldfaced_hornet

http://eol.org/pages/239818/overview

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/bmc_05/84d_maculata.html

http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/esps/factsheets/medvet/baldfaced_hornets_mv15.html

Embracing the Shade: Summer and Fall

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Mary Anne Borge

Is it possible to have a perennial shade garden with continuous bloom throughout the summer and fall? By June, the trees are fully leafed out, sheltering our home from the summer sun’s strong rays. That means that the garden is in the shade, too. Will anything be blooming? You bet.

Spicebush Swallowtails nectaring on Bottlebrush Buckeye

Some spring bloomers, like Heartleaf Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) and Virginia Goldenstar (Chrysogonum virginianum), also called Green and Gold, may continue their display into the summer months. While not yet blooming, the leaves of White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) join the violets, ferns, and Spreading Sedge (Carex laxiculmis) to form a ground cover blanketing much of the garden. Arching four to five feet above them are long sprays of Goat’s-beard (Aruncus dioicus) a.k.a. Bride’s Feathers’ tiny white flowers, lighting up the deep shade. June brings Rosebay Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) and Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) blossoms, too.

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) is part of the shrub layer in the woods behind our house. In July, this reliable bloomer with its large palmately compound leaves and tall spikes of white tubular flowers attracts Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in addition to Spicebush and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails.

Dark form Eastern Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on Bottlebrush Buckeye

Last summer we were surprised to see dark morph Tiger Swallowtails nectaring on the Bottlebrush Buckeye. By adopting this Pipevine Swallowtail-like coloration disguise, the Tiger Swallowtails gain some protection from being eaten by birds and other predators who have learned of the Pipevine Swallowtail’s toxicity. The dark morph occurs most frequently in areas where Pipevine Swallowtails are present. Maybe Dutchman’s Pipevine (Aristolochia macrophylla) and its namesake swallowtail are increasing in our area!

Courting Zabulon Skippers on Purple Giant Hyssop

July is also the beginning of Purple Giant Hyssop’s (Agastache scrophulariifolia) long bloom, lasting well into September. We have it in both deep shade and a spot that gets a few hours of afternoon sun, blooming dependably in both locations. This herbaceous plant is a great choice for a woodland garden, with a growth form that is similar to Butterfly Bush. In our garden, butterflies from the smallest skippers to the largest swallowtails love Purple Giant Hyssop. Bees love it, too, and even hummingbirds may drink from the nectar-packed purple flowers.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on Purple Giant Hyssop

Pollinators can’t resist Mountain Mints.

Sweat Bee (Lasioglossum species) on Short-toothed Mountain Mint

I decided to try Short-toothed Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), also called Clustered Mountain Mint, the only one of the Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum) species I thought could tolerate some shade. I put it in the one location that gets about four hours of afternoon sun, and I got lucky. While not as robust as it would be in a sunnier spot, it’s doing well, its tiny magenta and white blossoms enticing the smaller butterflies like azures and skippers throughout July and August.

Summer Azure nectaring on Short-toothed Mountain Mint

As summer progresses, False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) radiates bright yellow sunbursts at the wood’s edge from July well into September.

Sweat Bee (Agapostemom species) on False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails and Bumble Bees are frequent diners at Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), open for business during August and September. Even Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will stop here for a drink.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail nectaring on Great Blue Lobelia

Also in August, after gathering energy from the sun from the earliest spring days when its leaves begin to emerge, White Wood Aster blinks on its light show of white blossoms, illuminating the dense shade through October. The delicate blue disk flowers of Carolina Elephantsfoot (Elephantopus carolinianus) provide a complementary offset in August and September.

White Wood Aster

Butterfly traffic slows by September, but Black Swallowtails may still lay eggs this late, sometimes on my cooking herbs (parsley and dill).

Black Swallowtail caterpillar eating parsley

Last fall we hosted a chrysalis on a hot pepper plant.

Black Swallowtail chrysalis on pepper plant

More aster family members begin their fall performance now, including Blue Wood Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium),

Blue Wood Aster with Bumble Bee

Wreath Goldenrod (Solidago caesia),

Wreath Goldenrod

and Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), in bloom and offering nectar through October or early November. Like White Wood Aster, all of the foliage of these species emerged in early spring from the winter’s leaf cover.

All of these summer and fall blooming species have a reproductive strategy that includes clusters or spikes of flowers that bloom gradually over a period of many weeks, increasing each plant’s chances of pollination by bees, butterflies, and others, and resulting in a long colorful garden display.When successfully pollinated, Purple Giant Hyssop, Carolina Elephantsfoot and Woodland Sunflower offer Chickadees, Goldfinches and other birds a fall bounty of food.

Goldfinch eating Elephant’s Foot seeds

Resident and migrant birds dine on the bright red fruit of Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) and the dark blue fruit of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium). This is after a busy season of acting as caterpillar food plants – Spicebush and Sassafras for Spicebush Swallowtails, Flowering Dogwood and Blackhaw for Spring Azures.

Flowering Dogwood fruit

In October and November, Witch-hazel’s (Hamamelis virginiana) spidery yellow blossoms complement the fall foliage.

Witch-hazel flowers and fruits

The bright red fruits of Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) may last until late winter, when hungry birds finally eat them.

Winterberry Holly berries

Little maintenance is required in this woodland garden. Because the plants have filled in to form a ground cover in most places, there is little weeding to do. We primarily use naturally fallen leaves as mulch, although we may supplement with a bit of prepared leaf compost around the front edges, in deference to our homeowners’ association’s sensibilities.

When we were trying to grow lawn in the shade, it was sparse, and we had problems with standing water after a heavy rainfall. Not anymore. The trees, shrubs and other plants in the garden, as well as the leaf litter, help the soil to absorb rainfall. The shade keeps the soil from drying out too quickly. So once these plants are established, watering is only required when drought conditions become extreme.

Not a bad performance for a woodland garden. And it brings so much pleasure!

Notes:

This is part 3 of a 3 part series. To see parts 1 & 2, see A Butterfly Garden That Embraces the Shade and A Butterfly Garden That Embraces the Shade – Spring.

This post was adapted from an article that was originally published in the Summer 2013 issue of Butterfly Gardener, a publication of the North American Butterfly Association.

Milkweed – It’s Not Just for Monarchs

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Mary Anne Borge

100

One of the most well known associations between an animal and plant species is the relationship between Monarch butterflies and Milkweed. Monarch butterflies may certainly be seen nectaring at various species of milkweeds…

Monarch nectaring on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Monarch nectaring on Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Monarch nectaring on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

but this isn’t unique – they also drink at a wide variety of other flower species.

Monarch nectaring on New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)

It’s the dependency that Monarchs have on Milkweeds as the only food source for their caterpillars that makes this relationship so noteworthy. Monarchs, like many species of insects, have evolved to specialize in their larval (in this case caterpillar) food source in order to gain protection from predators through the chemicals they ingest from the plants they eat. Milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides, which are toxic to many species of birds and mammals. Plants have evolved these chemicals to protect themselves from being eaten, a strategy that has largely been successful for the plants. Plants are all about surviving and reproducing, to further the continued existence of their species.

Such a plan for protection is never completely foolproof, however. Monarchs, along with some other insect species, have evolved to be able to digest these plants and sequester the toxins in their bodies, making the insect unpalatable at best and toxic at worst to anyone inexperienced enough to attempt to eat them. As a reminder to bird or mammal predators who sample such an insect and survive to eat another meal, insects with these toxins have also evolved to have bright warning colors, an easy to remember signal to predators to beware before attempting such a meal again. In exchange for this protection obtained from eating Milkweeds, Monarchs are gambling that this food source will continue to be available. Without it, Monarchs won’t survive.

Monarch Caterpiller on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Monarch Caterpiller on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) with Monarch Caterpiller

Monarchs are not alone in their use of Milkweeds. Their copious nectar offerings attract a broad range of butterflies to drink at their flowers, from Eastern Tiger Swallowtails,

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Bumble Bee on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

to the smallest skippers.

Least Skipper on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Tawny-edged Skipper on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

and Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Sleepy Orange and Andrena bee on Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

as well as other milkweed species are also favorites of butterflies, bees, and other insects that are nectar feeders, for their reliable, sweet, high energy food.

Butterflies benefit from the food offered by milkweeds, and in return they do help the plants with pollination, but they are not the most successful pollinators of milkweeds. Milkweeds have bundles of pollen, called pollinia, that are linked in pairs by a thin filament. This connector snags an insect appendage that is inserted in just the right spot in a flower. An insect has to approach the flower in a way that will engage the filament connecting the pollinia, and it must also be robust enough to remove the pollinia from the flower in order to assist the plant in cross pollination. The pollinia is carried by the insect to another flower, and inserted by the same mechanism.

Take a look at the Eastern Comma below. It’s perched on top of a flower, using its straw-like proboscis to sip nectar from a Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) flower. With this approach, a butterfly isn’t that likely to be helping this Milkweed out with pollination.

Eastern Comma on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

This Bumble Bee, on the other hand, is facing the flower, with its left front leg inserted in the very location where the pollinia are stored. This bee is engaging the pollen sacs, and has the heft to be able to escape from the flower with them clinging to its leg.

Bumble Bee engaging pollinia of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

If you look carefully at the bee’s left front leg in the photo below, you can see the yellow pollinia attached to it.

Bumble Bee with pollinia of Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Large bees, such as Bumble Bees and Carpenter Bees, are among the most successful intermediaries in Milkweed pollination. Common Milkweed flowers release a potent fragrance to attract bees to assist them in their reproduction.

Many other insects take advantage of the nectar bounty offered by Milkweeds, including the Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis).

Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) and Oleander Aphids (Aphis nerii) on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

There’s another insect species dining on this Swamp Milkweed. Do you see the little yellow critters on the stem? You might be thinking, “Eeuuw! Aphids!” If so, you would be half right. These are Oleander Aphids (Aphis nerii), a species frequently found on Milkweeds. But you might want to re-think the “Eeuuw!” It turns out that aphids are an important part of the food chain.

Aphids rarely really harm a plant. And they offer a sustainable food source in the form of honeydew, a sweet excrement that ants love. The ants protect aphids in exchange for this tasty meal. Ants are essential for aerating soil, decomposing plant matter, dispersing seeds, and in some cases protecting plants from other predators.

Ants tending aphids on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Aphids are also a food source for other insects. In the photo below, this Oleander Aphid is being parasitized by two predators at once! It’s being bitten in the butt (abdomen) by a Convergent Lady Beetle (Hippodamia convergens) larva, who plans to consume the aphid. Notice also the bulge on the lower left side of the aphid. That is likely the result of a braconid wasp parasitizing the aphid. The adult female wasp lays an egg inside the aphid, with its resulting offspring consuming the aphid from the inside, leaving an empty husk. Insects could be the inspiration for zombie and vampire stories!(There’s a white squiggly thing on the lady beetle larva that I’m guessing may also be a predator, but so far I haven’t identified it. If you know what it is, let me know!)

Lady Beetle larvae biting aphid that shows signs (bubble) of being parasitized by a braconid wasp.

Lady Beetle larva biting aphid that shows signs (bubble) of being parasitized by a braconid wasp.

If you’re really observant you may have noticed that this scene was taking place on half of a Common Milkweed leaf, with the right side of the leaf missing. Wondering how that happened? It’s the way Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) caterpillars feed, neatly chewing side by side, stopping at the midrib.

Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) Caterpillers

Another insect that feeds on milkweed leaves is the Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus). This clever creature bites through the midrib of the leaf in a few spots near the leaf tip. This stops the milky latex-like sap from flowing to that part of the leaf, making it possible for the beetle to eat it without having its mouthparts glued together by the sticky substance.

Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus) on Common Milkweed

Even Milkweed seeds are a source of food for insects like the Small (Lygaeus kalmii) and Large (Oncopeltus fasciatus) Milkweed Bugs. Adults may also consume nectar.

Swamp Milkweed with Large Milkweed Bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus) , adults and nymphs

Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii) on Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

All of these insects sport bright colors that warn birds and mammals to avoid eating them. Insect and arthropod predators including the Lady Beetles, wasps, assassin bugs, spiders and Praying Mantises (or Mantids) are not put off, however. They may consume not just nectar feeders, but foliage and seed feeders, too.

Assassin Bug (Pselliopus cinctus) and Bumble Bee on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Many of these predators are safe for birds and other predators to eat. A large percentage of a bird’s diet consists of insects, especially when they are raising their young.

Female Indigo Bunting with lunch

Birds also benefit from Milkweeds by using them as nesting material. The fluffy hairs attached to the seeds can make a soft lining for a Goldfinch nest.

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) dispersing seeds

Most Milkweeds also have strong fibers in their stems that birds use to weave nests, including Northern Orioles

Northern Oriole Nest

and Yellow Warblers.

Yellow Warbler

Milkweeds are essential to the continued survival of the Monarch butterfly. They are a copious nectar source for our beleaguered bee populations, and offer food to many other beneficial insects. They’re a source of insect protein and nest material for birds and other animals. Milkweeds – they’re vital for Monarchs, and a whole host of other species, too.

Butterflyweed with Monarch, Great Spangled Fritillary, and Pearl Crescent

Resources

Eastman, John. The Book of Field and Roadside. 2003.

Eastman, John. The Book of Swamp and Bog. 1995.

Eaton, Eric R.; Kauffman, Ken. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. 2007.

Harrison, Hal H. Eastern Birds’ Nests. 1975

Tallamy, Douglas W. Bringing Nature Home, 2007,

USDA Plants Database

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve – Visitors at the Pond

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Mary Anne Borge

Plants are still filling in at the new pond at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, but already the habitat is hospitable enough to tempt a variety of visitors.

New Pond at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

As you approach the pond’s edge, insect-sized American Toads (Bufo americanus) leap for shelter, escaping certain death from being squashed by a foot. They hide in the grasses, mulch, or under a plant leaf, hoping to remain unseen and unharmed. Compare the young American Toad with the clover leaves in this photo to get a sense of this tiny amphibian’s size.

American Toad

Another not-fully-grown visitor along the pond’s edge is this pre-historic-looking Marbled Grasshopper (Spharagemon marmorata) nymph.

Marbled Grasshopper Nymph (Spharagemon marmorata)

The flowers blooming near the pond’s edge are an attraction for many interesting animals.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) flowers don’t produce a lot of nectar, but they attract insects that feed on their pollen, like the wasp-mimicking Toxomerus marginatus feeding here. This fly species doesn’t have a common name other than Flower Fly or Hover Fly, terms used to describe species of the Syrphid (Syrphidae) family because they make their living feeding on and pollinating flowers, and many are able to hover continuously for long periods. Members of this insect family evolved to look like bees or wasps, since this threatening disguise helps them to avoid predators. They feed on nectar or pollen, but their visits to the Elderberry flowers for food for themselves will also result in pollination, producing dark blue fruit later in the season.

Hover or Flower Fly (Toxomerus marginatus)

An aquatic plant, Pickerelweed’s (Pontederia cordata) bright spikes of purple flowers are primarily pollinated by Bumble Bee species,

Pickerelweed with Bumble Bee

but they have many other visitors. Butterflies also enjoy their nectar, although their anatomy and feeding techniques are much less likely to result in pollination.

American Lady on Pickerelweed

Least Skipper on Pickerelweed

The airspace over the pond sees heavy air traffic from dragonflies and damselflies, constantly darting back and forth, feeding on other insects while both are in flight, and cruising for mates. What amazing flight navigation precision! Some females can be seen repeatedly touching the surface of the pond with the tip of their abdomen (the long slender body part that might look like a tail). This is how some dragonfly species lay their eggs.

The best chance to get a close look at these busy creatures is when they pause for a break on leaves, grasses or other plant matter or surfaces, while watching for potential mates or meals. Photography helps to enable a careful enough study to tell them apart.

Damselflies characteristically hold their wings folded together above their body, or only slightly apart. They are usually small with slender abdomens, a wide head and big eyes. Two species of Bluets were present on a recent visit, an Azure Bluet,

Azure Bluet

and a Stream Bluet.

Stream Bluet

Can you tell them apart? Look closely at the tips of their abdomens and count the number of segments that are blue, and check the width of the black and blue stripes on their thoraxes (the middle section of the insect, to which the wings are attached). Can you see any differences between the two damselflies in these characteristics or others?

Dragonflies generally hold their wings open, often perpendicular to their bodies, but at other angles, too. They are larger than damselflies and have stouter bodies, although different species vary quite a bit in size.

The dragonfly below is a Lancet Clubtail, resting on a clover leaf and some grasses. He’s missing a wing, probably the result of a recent encounter with an unsuccessful predator, possibly a bird, a frog, a spider, or another insect – even another dragonfly may have attempted to make him a meal.

Lancet Clubtail

Eastern Pondhawks, like the male pictured here, are among the dragonflies that are voracious predators of other dragonflies.

Eastern Pondhawk

Male Blue Dashers spend a lot of time perching on vegetation, looking for a meal or a mating opportunity.

Blue Dasher

A male Widow Skimmer showed a preference for a Golden Alexanders flower stem as his perch, returning to it after each flight,

Widow Skimmer

While Pickerelweed provided a favorite perch for this male Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer on Pickerelweed

While I watched, Pickerelweed also played an important role in the courtship of a pair of Eastern Amberwings. I spotted a male first, perched a few inches above the water’s surface.

Male Eastern Amberwing, perching

A few minutes later, I saw this pair mating at their rendezvous spot, the tip of a Pickerweed flower spike.

Eastern Amberwings Mating

After a few seconds they parted. The male then led the female to a partially submerged cluster of Pickerelweed fruit, where she proceeded to lay eggs (oviposit), tapping the surface of the water while the male hovered nearby, preventing other males from undoing his efforts.

Female Eastern Amberwing laying eggs (left) with male standing guard (right)

Quite a show for such a new habitat!

The Pond at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, with photographer

Resources

Barlow, Allen E.; Golden, David M.; Bangma, Jim. Field Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of New Jersey. 2009.

Bugguide.net

Eastman, John. The Book of Swamp and Bog. 1995.

Eaton, Eric R.; Kauffman, Ken. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. 2007.

Nikula, Blair; Loose, Jennifer L.; Burne, Matthew R. A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Massachusetts. 2003.

Paulson, Dennis. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East. 2011.

The Natural Web

Exploring Nature's Connections

Category Archives: Other Insects and Spiders

Signs of Spring – Mining Bees

Even Bald-faced Hornets Recycle

Embracing the Shade: Summer and Fall

Milkweed – It’s Not Just for Monarchs

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve – Visitors at the Pond

Resources

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