by Mandy Wolski, Park Naturalist
Ohio is home to many native pollinators, including roughly 3000 moth species, 500 bee species, and 140 butterfly species. Hummingbirds, wasps, beetles and flies are important pollinators in Ohio as well.
Native flowers, shrubs and trees are best for our pollinators. Ohio’s native plants and insects have a strong connection because they have co-evolved together. This means that our insects naturally seek out native plants knowing that they will provide the best nectar and larval food sources. For instance, the zebra swallowtail (pictured) must have pawpaw trees to feed on as caterpillars. That same pawpaw tree relies on native flies and beetles for pollination.
Another advantage of planting natives is that they are low maintenance, which makes them perfect for lazy gardeners like myself! Our park staff will only need to mow these native patches once a year instead of every week. Natives will survive our changing seasons, will thrive in our soils, and will self-seed every fall making replanting every spring a thing of the past.
What we do for one pollinator species helps all of Ohio’s pollinators! If you decide to plant milkweed to help the monarch caterpillars, you will also be providing a beneficial nectar source for bees and butterflies. In nature, all things are connected!
Editor's Note: The Friends will soon be planting two pollinator gardens along the trail, one to be located at about mile marker 40 and another further north around Oregonia.
June 2020
