Today is Day 1 of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. It’s a simple task. You spend 15 minutes counting the pollinators seen of a particular pollinator. In my case, I was watching a zinnia and lantana combination. You use the dedicated website to upload your observations. This can be repeated as often as you like. This was originally a project in the adjoining state of Georgia but this year my state of Alabama is included. The website is https://gsepc.org
I submitted my observations but took 6 photos at the same time for today’s blog. Of course, it is zinnia and lantana. It is a departure from the norm, but I know you will appreciate the photos.
I will be posting them on the Six on Saturday blog tomorrow. https://gardenruminations.co.uk . Look for the group on that site hosted by Jim Stephens.
My zinnias have been magnificent this year and here is a swallowtail enjoying them.
Next, is a ‘fuzzy butt’ bumblebee on a small white zinnia.
This gulf fritillary is on the ‘Miss Huff’ lantana.
The cloudless sulphur is on another simple zinnia with wonderful color.
The ‘shiny hiney’ carpenter bee is on a chaste tree ‘Vitex agnus-castus’
Hope you have as many pollinators in your gardens as I have in mine this year.
Happy gardening!
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Bees and butterflies! You can’t beat that. I’m have trouble finding a good place to spend my 15 minutes, but I will count pollinators nonetheless.
You did well getting them to stay still long enough for photos.
I was the one being still. Eventually, they came close enough for good shots.
Swallowtails are not butterflies that we can see in Europe, and it is very nice to enjoy them thanks to your post this morning.
A lovely selection of pollinators.
Nice pictures! Do you count how many species, or how many individual insects of each species you see? I have a short video of a carpenter bee hollowing out a stem of New England aster. It was fascinating to watch!
You count the number of each category seen. It is butterflies, bumble bees, carpenter bees, honey bees, native bees and flies. The object is to also educate the general public.
In this country we only see swallowtail butterflies in butterfly conservation places, it must be amazing to have them in your own garden. Thanks for sharing such lovely pictures.
I liked that! Davor Sent from my iPhone
Great photos of the pollinators and they’re favorite plants! The plants you’ve shared are favorites here, too. That’s great that you participate in the census. I do something similar with a few organizations here in Wisconsin and then the Journey North program, too.
It is lovely to see the pollinators that visit your flowers. And yes, we have had a fantastic year for them here too. 😃