Diversity at Seabourne Creek NP Butterfly Garden

While many of the gardener types ripped and tore at the soil getting rid of weeds, I opted for more purposeful and joyful work instead: logging diversity! The native Conoclinium and Persecaria were clearly the nectar plants of choice, loaded with wasps, butterflies, skippers, and moths. with the fire spike (non-native) being the second-place contender.

I wonder why anyone would plant Bat-faced Cuphea in a butterfly habitat. Besides nectar for wayward hummingbirds, what exactly is the wildlife value of this plant? All I saw were honeybees and carpenter bees -- who outwit the flower's pollination strategy with her clever tactics -- on it for the several minutes in three stretches I observed.

Posted on November 3, 2021 10:10 PM by dirtnkids