The Pollinator Party

~ lmachayes

The invitation is simple: Meet in the garden. All are welcome. Any time. Any day. Just come.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

Enjoy the celebration . . .

White Admiral Butterfly

of life,

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

and work.

Sweat Bee

Of color,

Plain Ringlet Butterfly

texture,

Common Green Bottle Fly

and design.

Little Copper Butterfly

But really, the celebration is all about the fact that pollinators are a critical piece of our food and flower supply.

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

We depend on them for a large amount of food that we need for a healthy diet. 

Great Spangled Fritillary

And they help move pollen from the male structures of flowers to the female structures, which ensures new seeds, fruits, and plants will grow. 

Thread-waisted Wasp

Likewise, these insects benefit from the plants they visit.

Viceroy Butterfly

Nectar provides carbohydrates and pollen can be a source of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Black-tipped Ichnuemon Wasp

But many pollinators are at risk. Declining populations are due to a loss of feeding and nesting habitat, overuse of chemicals and pesticides, and changes to weather patterns.

Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch Butterfly has officially been designated as endangered by the International Union of Conservation for Nature.

Great Black Wasp

In short, pollinators need us . . . and we certainly need them.

Ambush Bugs

I invite you to accept the invitation and spend time observing and appreciating; in the process you might also get to witness a couple of canoodlers.

Clouded Sulphur Butterfly

By the same token, you could happen upon one whose life has come to an end, but give thanks that it chose a beautiful spot to fall asleep forever.

Please RSVP as soon as possible: The Pollinator Party is going on NOW and it won’t last forever.

8 thoughts on “The Pollinator Party”

  3. What a fine essay, Leigh. It reminds me that pollinators include a lot of different kinds of insects.

    My brother in law writes a family blog each week and he was commenting a drive he made in which he had only two bug strikes on his window. He was happy but it made me sad. Where are the insects? Why is it so hard to ban chemicals and agricultural practices that destroy our insects?

    Against that it was a joy to see all your pollinators.?

    Joe ________________________________

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    1. Exactly. I have noticed more on the windshield the last two years, Joe, but know what he’s talking about. There’s still a variety, but not an abundance. We recently turned more of our yard into a pollinator garden. It’s still in the growing stages, but the one behind the GLLT office is offering great promise and the neighbors both at home and at the office have vegetable gardens so one is benefiting the other.
      Since the pandemic began, our evening programs have been offered at an earlier hour, but I do remember coming home from at 9pm few years ago and being surprised at the amount of moths that hit the windshield and that gave me hope. Sometimes, though, hope is not enough.

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