Location: my tiny potager in the sun.
Guests: Goldenrod soldier bugs, bumbles, hornets, flies, bees, moths, and Cabbage whites.
Party crashers: Japanese beetles.
Conditions: 79F, light breeze, sunny.
Refreshments: pollen, nectar, dew.
Thanks for joining us! Plenty more refreshments are available, so please stop back for the next shindig.
(To learn more about Goldenrod soldier bugs, click here.)
I saw a Skipper butterfly, but no moths? They are not colorful but are so friendly in my garden they are one of my favorites. I'm growing 6 species of Goldenrod, all new, this year and they are setting buds to bloom, I don't know if I should look for a Goldenrod Soldier Bug here. Cool bug photos!
ReplyDeleteAh, so that's a skipper butterfly! Thanks! I'm terrible at identifying butterflies vs. moths--always have been. Good to know the ID on that one. I love Goldenrod, and it bugs me that people think they're allergic to it, when it's most likely Ragweed or something else causing the sniffles. Most Goldenrods are great for cut flowers, too!
DeleteI saw a skipper today in my garden, I'll have to take my camera out and see if I can get close enough. Some of my Goldenrod flower buds are coloring up, I'm excited to see them bloom and how the bees and butterflies like them. It's funny how the myth has been perpetuated. One I got was S. odora which is supposed to be scented and good for an anise-flavored tea.
DeleteLook at all those beautiful pollinators! Color coordinated on those gorgeous flowers too.
ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating to see which pollinators go for which plants. They do seem to have preferences--except for the bumbles, who like anything with pollen!
DeleteLoved the party! Great pictures . . .
ReplyDeleteIt was quite the event in the neighborhood the other day. I felt like an outsider--except that I was the host. So happy to have such a diverse and esteemed group drop by!
DeleteI see you enjoy taking pictures of all these glorious creatures too! I love seeing them and identifying them all.
ReplyDeleteA super bunch of pictures - I wish you many more gatecrashers :)
Yes, they are fun to photograph. I'm not the best at identifying them specifically, but I do enjoy them! It's fascinating to watch which plants they select and how they move about. :) Thanks for your well-wishes!
DeleteLooks like you have a lot of yummy food for the right type of guests! Lovely photos of the bugs, and I like the flowers too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Helene! It's always fun to watch them--the behavior is fascinating!
DeleteAnd I can hear the song, "Garden Party" by Ricky Nelson playing.....love a good Pollinator party and it has been all summer here too!
ReplyDeleteHa! Now I will be thinking of that song next time I join the fun!
DeleteIt is great to see the pollinators in action, especially after the slow start this year due to the cool weather. Fun post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karin. They've been going strong here since May. I think they liked the Salvia to start with, and then the Alliums, and now everything else. I can't imagine a vegetable garden without flowers--it just makes so much sense to plant them together!
DeleteLoved your posting today. I just came in from taking photographs of all the pollinators in my gardens today. As they say, "great minds think alike"! The "bugs" were everywhere. Loving all the nectar. I must have taken 100 plus photos. They will be posted in future postings. Here at the lake it was the perfect day for, as you called it - a pollinator party! Thanks for the posting. Jack
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jack. I can't wait to see your next post. When the light and conditions are right, it's hard to stop snapping the photos, isn't it? Most of the time it's a little more challenging, but not during this party. :)
DeleteYou have a nice selection of pollinators at your party. You put out a nice spread for them too. Your photos are lovely and looks like any party goer that loves their photo taken. They all look like they posed.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, Donna! They did pose, didn't they? Apparently they enjoyed the refreshments. ;-)
DeleteThanks for the invite, what a crowd...very well done.
ReplyDeleteAnd you took great photos.
Jen
Glad you could join us! Thank you--it was fun, the guests were naturally photogenic, and the light was good. :)
DeleteAh! yummy, yummy!!! images of flowers are a balm for my eyes!
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are happy this year, and so are the pollinators! I hope I get many more Tomatoes, some Lettuce, and perhaps some Cucumbers before the summer is done.
DeleteBEE-utiful!! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aaron. They are fun little critters, aren't they?
DeleteHow beautiful! The I Heart Macro link is still open on my blog if you would like to participate this week:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the invite, Laura! I enjoy macros--some of these shots qualify, I guess. I really love the extreme macros and find them fascinating! Thanks for hosting!
DeleteThat's a great mix of insects! How lovely to see them all. BTW your weather conditions sound about ideal!
ReplyDeleteYes! The weather has been fabulous! Near-perfect for several weeks, and it's looking good for the extended forecast, too. We are fortunate this year.
DeleteHooray! Thanks for sharing the love up-close with I Heart Macro!
ReplyDeleteGreat party! But someone should tell that one couple to be a little more decorous or go some place private. Also, who invited the Japanese Beetle?
ReplyDeleteI know, right?! Well, I guess that's part of nature. Regarding the Japanese beetles--yeah, they are not welcome here. It makes me wonder what they are like in their native habitat. Do they not cause as much damage there? Fortunately, I haven't seen as many this year for some reason.
DeleteWhat a great party--looks like everyone had a great time enjoying the refreshments. Leave it to those thugs, the Japanese beetles, to crash the party, though.
ReplyDeleteIt was the place to be. Actually, the same thing happens every afternoon when the sun begins to bake the potager on the west side of the house. It's lovely to watch!
DeleteWonderful photos of both flowers and visitors.
ReplyDeleteThank you. They are photogenic and it was a fun gathering. ;-)
Deletebest party - the revellers didn't do drugs, but I think they did old fashioned nectar like the gods did - maybe they WERE the gods!!???! Specially the Japanese beetle - definitely has god-like pretensions ... struggle between good and evil, etc etc. = plot for novel?
ReplyDeleteYes, old-fashioned nectar. ;-) Lately I've been thinking a lot about how non-native invasive, harmful species, and wondering what they are like in their native habitats. Do the behave the same way? Do they cause as much damage there? Fascinating.
DeleteGorgeous photos, and it looks as if a good time was had by all! Your Japanese beetles are about a month behind mine - they crash my party in late June or early July. At least they have the decency to leave after a while, unlike some other uninvited guests of the six legged variety.
ReplyDeleteWe've had Japanese beetles for a while now, but I think they're winding down here now, too. They're beautiful bugs--too bad they cause so much damage in the garden.
DeleteLooks like your guests have plenty to eat! I enjoyed learning more about the soldier beetle, too. Too bad the Japanese beetles had to crash the party. They just have no manners! ;)
ReplyDeleteThey're all fascinating creatures in their own right. It's fun to see them all together--sharing and fighting over the refreshments. ;-)
DeleteLooks like everyone had a wonderful time, a great idea for a post.
ReplyDeleteThe diversity of the pollinators has been inspiring lately. And it's fun to watch their behavior!
DeleteThose are so beautiful, i still am disappointed in shooting those bees!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm not sure, but I think you are joking about photographing or "shooting" the bees? Or maybe I'm forgetting another comment or post? I will stop by your blog for today's bloom day.
DeleteWhat a cute and creative idea for a post. I think the secret to eliminating the party crashes is encouraging moles to tunnel around eating the Japanese beetle grubs---that's what they are doing under there.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carolyn! Well, we definitely have moles and voles here. To be honest the Japanese beetles aren't too bad in my garden--I just kind of ignore them. Lots of friends around here spend hours picking them off their plants and drowning them in soapy water--but they just come back. So I don't bother.
DeleteI sure enjoy looking at the critters enjoying your flowers - what a welcoming sight!.
ReplyDeleteThanks. They are happy little pollinators!
DeleteGreat post! What kind of liatris is that? The beetles have left my garden and must have headed north to munch yours. A good squish will take care of that!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tammy. I'm not seeing many Japanese beetles--just a few here and there. I don't spend much time fretting over them. The Liatris is L. spicata "Blazing Star." It's all done for the season now. :(
DeleteStunning photos, and what a great array of bugs you have there.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janet. Yes, the pollinators are plentiful around here. Things are drying up a bit lately, but I'm keeping the potager hydrated, and they like that!
DeleteLovely blooms and a great example of how we improve our gardens by planting pollinator friendly plants.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's always rewarding to see the veggies and flowers living happily together. And both really benefit from the companion plantings.
Delete