Butterflies and Bees Celebrated!
On Saturday, June 18, we held our third annual Butterflies and Bees Celebration in the
Rountree neighborhood. Despite the heat and glaring sun, approximately 100 people joined us to learn more about butterflies and bees. The little ones enjoyed making crafts. Over 40 native plant seedlings found new homes during the event, and several Ninebark shrub seedlings will grace yards in the Springfield area.
During our Celebration a Zebra Swallowtail butterfly eclosed from its chrysalis. The Zebra Swallowtail is one of many species I must admit I never knew existed until a few years ago when I began my pursuit of learning more about the ecosystem surrounding me. And now I am a big fan of all our native flora and fauna!
While I believe events such as Butterflies and Bees Celebration truly makes a difference in educating the public about native species and giving people the opportunity to start making pollinator-friendly changes to their gardens, sometimes I cannot help but feel we have a very long way to go.
The availability of non-native species in garden centers and "big box stores" is overwhelming. Many of the non-native species are highly invasive, such as Japanese Honeysuckle, Wintercreeper, Butterfly Bush and too many more to mention. The lure of the beautiful flowers, heavenly scents, and qualities such as ground cover are too much for many people to pass up. For most of us it is a matter of education and encouragement to make the switch, even slowly, to native plants. But, sadly, even among those of us who know the perils of non-native species, some of us still insist on planting non-native plants for various reasons: personal history, personal preference, and "just because".
If you've ever wondered why native plants, shrubs, and trees are so important, you can conduct a very simple experiment. Spend a few moments watching a plant that can be easily purchased at a garden center or big box store. Plants such as Impatiens, Pansies, or Mums. What pollinators do you see on the flowers? Do you see any? Then spend the same amount of time watching native flowers. Purple Cone Flowers, Purple Poppy Mallow, Slender Mountain Mint, Butterfly Milkweed. What pollinators do you
see on those flowers? My guess is you will find many more bees and butterflies buzzing about the Purple Coneflower than you ever will on a purple Mum.
I never knew how many different species of bees existed until I planted my very first native plants. That was 8 years ago, and I've enjoyed watching the pollinators swarm the blossoms ever since. I hope you will take the time to plant even one native plant, shrub, or tree in your garden. Then sit back and enjoy the show!
