Pollinator Insects Prefer Native Wildflowers

Did You Know?

Native wildflowers are preferred by beneficial insects (pollinators) rather than non-native plants. Native wildflowers and native beneficial insects (pollinators) have evolved alongside each other for thousands of years, which is why the beneficial insects are very familiar with the wildflower's scent, taste, shape, and color.

Some native beneficial insects are bees, butterflies, and moths. Honeybees help pollinate wildflowers but are not native to North America. The simple flower shapes of native wildflowers attract pollinators because they are easier to access to extract pollen and nectar.

The long blooming period of native wildflowers also guarantees that the pollinators will discover these throughout their extended bloom time. Some pollinators need certain native wildflowers, called host plants, to survive. For example, the monarch caterpillar feeds only on milkweed leaves.

Small beneficial insects need small flowers, such as yarrow, fennel, dill, and caraway, which consist of hundreds of tiny accessible flowers. Each flower is shallow, and its nectaries are exposed, so it’s easy for their tiny mouthparts to extract the nectar.

The familiar scents attract bees and butterflies to the sweet flower scents that are most fragrant during the day, and moths, bats, and beetles are attracted to a spicier scent that is most fragrant during the evening hours. Plants' scent levels will be at their highest when the flowers are mature enough for pollination.

Eastern Red Columbine, or wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis )