In the second photo, the ants and flies are joined by a Cabbage White, a very common but introduced butterfly species.
Finally, a honeybee, another common but introduced pollinator, joined the fray.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Local Pollinators
In continuing observance of National Pollinators Week, I would like to share some of my recent photographs of pollinators. These were clustered around a patch of common milkweed plants along the Raritan River. First, there was base group of ants and flies crawling around the flowers. The flies are most likely members of the Syrphidae or Bombyliidae, two families of bee mimics that also pollinate flowers. You can read more about those families here and here.
In the second photo, the ants and flies are joined by a Cabbage White, a very common but introduced butterfly species.
Finally, a honeybee, another common but introduced pollinator, joined the fray.
In the second photo, the ants and flies are joined by a Cabbage White, a very common but introduced butterfly species.Finally, a honeybee, another common but introduced pollinator, joined the fray.