The flowers are dancing!

The prairie garden started blooming in full force about two weeks ago and the buzz of activity quickly returned. The garden has not reached its peak yet but the blooms have begun to wiggle and dance from all the insect visitors gathering nectar and pollen. One of my favorite activities in mid summer is to stare at a patch of wild bergamot/bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginicum) and culver’s root (Veronicastrum virignicum) and watch the plants move and sway from the numerous bumbles, butterflies, wasps, native bees and moths moving from flower to flower. Just about all of the blooming plants in my yard have pollinator visitors but these three plants are pollinator magnets. I only see some insects, like the solitary great black digger wasp and the solitary great golden digger wasp, this time of year. These are beneficial wasps (yes there are good wasps). The solitary predatory wasp plays an important role in controlling nuisance insects and pollinating flowers. They are welcome here!