Promoting pollinators 2010

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden

Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND - 2010
© Project SOUND

Promoting Pollinators

C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve

Madrona Marsh Preserve
July 3 & 6, 2010

© Project SOUND

Did you ever wonder why there are so many types of flowers?

© Project SOUND

Sex and the single flower

 Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the
male anther of a flower to the female stigma.
© Project SOUND

Sometimes physical
agents transfer the
pollen

Only about 20% of plants are wind pollinated
And <1% are water pollinated

http://www.annerondepierre.com/wisdomarchive8.htm
© Project SOUND

So usually the pollinators are living organisms who
carry the pollen from flower to flower

© Project SOUND

Why worry about living pollinators?
 They play a key role in the normal
functioning of our local ecosystems
 > 200,000 plant species worldwide
depend on pollination
 Imagine life without these plants
 They are required for production
of many of our food, medicinal and
other crops
 ~80% of the world’s crop plants
depend on pollination – 150 crops in
the U.S. alone
 A combined annual $20+ billion
industry in the U.S
 Without them, our gardens would
not sustain themselves

© Project SOUND

 Pollinators are at risk:
 Non-native pollinators are
vulnerable to environmental factors
- limited genetic variability
[Example: Honeybee Colony Collapse
Disorder]
 Native pollinators are at risk due to
habitat loss, climate change and use
of pesticides
Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder
 Crop production world-wide is
decreasing due to decreasing
numbers of pollinators
 So we all should be worried – and
taking action
 The third week of June is
designated National Pollinators
Week (The fourth annual National
Pollinator Week was June 21-27,
2010)!
© Project SOUND

Who are the living (biotic) pollinators?

Most common  Bees – of all sizes
 Butterflies
 Moths
 Flies & other fly-like insects

 Beetles
 Hummingbirds
 Ants

 Bats
Least common  Even small reptiles & mammals

© Project SOUND

What can we do to promote our native
pollinators?
 Plant the plants they need
for food – at all stages of
their lives.
 Provide places where they
can reproduce and provide
for their young
 Protect them by
practicing Integrated Pest
Management – limited use
of pesticides
 Teach others – by word
and example – about the
importance of native
pollinators
© Project SOUND

Native Plants can be likened to theatrical settings. In its native
home each plant species is the backdrop and producer of an age-old
drama -- one with a well-rehearsed cast of actors, mostly insects.
When an exotic plant or even a native but not locally indigenous
species is moved to a new land or locale, the cast of actors is left
behind, and there is no plot, no play, for an interested audience to
witness and enjoy.
Edward S. Ross
from Butterfly Gardening, The Xerces Society and The Smithsonian
© Project SOUND

Why are some plants pollinator magnets?

© Project SOUND

Plant families & genera that provide nectar & pollen
for a wide range of native pollinators

 Polygonaceae – Buckwheat Family
 Asteraceae – Sunflower family
 Lamiaceae – Mint family
Eriogonum - Buckwheat
 Clematis – Virgin’s Bowers
 Phacelia - Fiddlenecks

© Project SOUND
Grindelia - Gumplant

Annual Phacelias are
among our best general
nectar sources in spring
 Many flowers per stalk
 Produce lots of high-quality
nectar

Large-flowered Phacelia - Phacelia grandiflora  Nectar is easy for many types
of pollinators to get to
 Open over a long period of time
– open ‘up the stalk’
 High flower to foliage ratio –
lots of energy put into floral
production
 Easy to grow – under many
conditions - dependable

Tansey-leaf Phacelia – Phacelia tanecetifolia © Project SOUND

* Desert Bluebells – Phacelia campanularia

© Project SOUND

* Desert Bluebells – Phacelia campanularia
 Mojave Desert & N. and W.
Sonoran Desert of California
 Open dry, sandy or gravelly places
below 4000 ft.

http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?4518,4587,4601

© Project SOUND
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Desert Bluebells – an annual desert wildflower
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 1-2+ ft wide

 Growth form:
 Annual wildflower
 Mounded to somewhat
sprawling shape - attractive
 Stems often red-purple in
color

 Foliage:
 Rounded, coarsely-toothed
leaves – somewhat like
Heuchera
 Whole plant hairy/sticky – may
cause mild skin allergies, so
wear gloves to handle
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/1886/phacelia-campanularia-desertbells/
© Project SOUND

Flowers are a bright,
pure blue
 Blooms: in spring - usually Feb-Apr. in our
area, but may be later

 Flowers:
 Small-medium size (to 1 inch)
 Bell-shaped – typical for Phacelia
http://www.hortmag.com/article/desertbluebells/
 Bright, intense true blue – iridescent
– difficult to photograph

 Seeds:
 In dry capsules
 Relatively easy – no pre-treatment;
just plant in place in fall/winter –
germinate in spring
 Serial sow for longer bloom season
 Will reseed – but not extensively –
http://www.delange.org/BlueBells/BlueBells.htm
usually must re-seed
© Project SOUND

 Soils:
Plant Requirements  Texture: any well-drained; sandy
& gravelly soils great
 pH: any local

 Light:
 Full sun (best) to light shade

 Water:
 Winter/spring: need plenty of
water during active growth
 Summer: occasional deep water
extends blooming; taper off as
flowering ends

 Fertilizer: fine in poor soils, OK
with light fertilizer (like any of our
annual wildflowers)

 Other: seeds need bare soil/light
gravel mulch to germinate; require
http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Phacelia_campanularia_var._campanulari
light as germination cue.
a&printable=yes&printable=yes © Project SOUND

Annual ‘Pollenator Plants’
can be tucked in anywhere
 Spilling out of pots & planters

 Along garden paths – often
short

 Massed for spring color – pair
http://back40feet.blogspot.com/2008/06/friday-night-botanical-garden.html
with Tidy-tips or CA Poppy for a
real zing!

 Between native shrubs & sub-
shrubs

 Mixed with native desert
grasses

 In a rock or gravel garden

 Fine in hot places
© Project SOUND

Advantages of ‘Pollinator Plants’ for the
home garden

 They are often showy & pretty; usually
lots of blooms and attractive scents
(remember, they have to attract their
pollinators)
 They will increase pollination of food
plants, leading to better production
 They will attract wonderful insects to
your garden – hours of entertainment for
the whole family (or neighborhood)
 They are ecologically sound – an important
part of local ecosystems
© Project SOUND

Plants in the Mint family are among our
best summer perennial ‘Pollinator Plants’
 Many small flowers – and usually
long bloom period
 High-quality nectar
 Due to shape, available to long-
tongued pollinators (butterflies,
moths, some bees, hummingbirds)
Salvia species

© Project SOUND
Stachys species

* Nettle-leaf Giant Hyssop – Agastache urticifolia

© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND

* Nettle-leaf Giant Hyssop – Agastache urticifolia
 Foothills & lower mountain slopes of the
west – British Columbia to CA – and east
to CO (Rocky Mtns)
 Locally in San Bernardino & Santa
Barbara Mtns.
 Common. Generally woodlands, but many
habitats, including open slopes


Another common name is
‘Horsemint’, although several
species are known by this
name

© Project SOUND
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6r6fAoZCPVw/R8gH16PwAnI/AAAAAAAAAKk/AkQPvdqlLzE/HPIM2277.JPG

The genus Agastache – you’re going to
see it more often….
 ~ 30 species of aromatic perennials in
the Lamiaceae family.
 Predominately found in dry hilly areas
of the U.S., Mexico, Japan, and China.
 Many have fragrant foliage, their
scents ranging from anise to mint and
citrus. The leaves are used to make
herbal tea, for flavoring, and in
medicines
 The ornamental flower spikes make a
pretty addition to salads.

 Very suitable for herb gardens or
mixed borders.
 Are highly attractive to beneficial
insects, including native pollinators.
http://www.glenleagreenhouses.com/agastache.JPG

© Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop: a herbaceous perennial
 Size:
 2-5 ft tall; shorter in full sun
 2-5 ft wide, slightly spreading

 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial; mounded
with square stems
 Dies back to ground in winter in
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
most climates – you may need to
cut back (like other Mints)

 Foliage:
 Large, toothed leaves – like a
large Mint
 Scented – can be used for teas
 Medium green – nice color

 Roots: fibrous; woody in mature
plants © Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop has a long history as a
medicinal plant

 As a soothing tea (leaves and
dried flowers), especially for
upset stomach or colds
 Leaves are also used as a
flavoring or in salads
http://www.darcyfromtheforest.com/se
rvlet/Categories?category=Herbal+Pr
 Mashed leaves were applied
oducts%3AHydrosols
to swollen areas
 Even sold today as an herbal:
therapeutic properties said to
include immune system
stimulation, fluid level
balancing, respiratory system
aid, and aiding skin problems.

http://www.calflora.net/recentfieldtrips/easternsierras09.html
© Project SOUND

Pretty, old-fashioned
flowers aplenty
 Blooms:
 In summer, usually June-July
in western L.A. Co.

 Flowers:
 On stalks above the foliage –
typical of the Mints; open up
along the stem over several
weeks
 Many tiny flowers – like
miniature snapdragons
 Color usually lavender-pink;
may be white to a darker
© 2004, Ben Legler
violet
 Delicately scented - sweet

© Project SOUND

Propagation via
seed

 Let capsules dry to papery
brown on the plant
 Crush capsules – sift out
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agastache_urticifolia_seeds.jpg small seeds
 Sow in place in fall/winter –
or give 1 month cold-moist
treatment before planting
in spring
 Can also propagate from tip
cuttings (summer) or
division of young shoots
(when about 4-6 inches
tall) in spring – fairly easy
to root

http://nativeplants.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/growing-in-the-green-house/
© Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop is  Soils:
 Texture: just about any well-
easy to grow drained soil
 pH: any local

 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Will attract more pollinators in
sunny spot

 Water:
 Winter: needs water; winter
flooding is fine
 Summer: likes a bit of summer
water Zone 2 or 2-3 – good
under a birdbath

 Fertilizer: not picky – fine with
organic mulch

 Other: spread slowly via rhizomes
© Project SOUND

Giant Hyssop adds a pastel
element to the summer garden
 In mixed perennial beds – even
mixed with non-natives

 In areas with overspray from lawns,
near fountains

 In the vegetable garden or home
orchard – fine with morning sun

 Nice addition to a woodland garden
– plant in sunny patches

 Great bee plant – produces a light,
minty-flavored honey

 One of the best additions to the
butterfly garden
© Project SOUND
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qxNbk1BRhPMJ:forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/salvia/msg021927179459.html+Agastache+urticifolia+propag
ation&cd=29&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Providing homes for native pollinators
 Native bees don’t build the wax or
paper structures we associate with
honey bees or wasps, but they do need
places to nest, which vary depending
on the species.
 Wood-nesting bees are solitary, often
making individual nests in beetle tunnels in
standing dead trees.
 Ground-nesting bees include solitary
Learn about how you species that construct nest tunnels under
the ground.
can construct or
promote native  Cavity-nesting social species—bumble
pollinator homes in bees—make use of small spaces, such as
your garden abandoned rodent burrows, wherever they
can find them.

© Project SOUND

The Sunflower family
(Asteraceae) provides
important food in fall

 Bloom in late summer/ fall
Goldenbushes – Hazardia & Isocoma  Long bloom season
 Nectar and pollen
available to many types of
pollinators (even ants,
beetles)
 Lots of small flowers

© Project SOUND
Baccharis species

* CA Broomsage – Lepidospartum squamatum

© 2003 BonTerra Consulting

© Project SOUND

* CA Broomsage – Lepidospartum squamatum
 Sierra Nevada Foothills, South Coast
Ranges and Deserts to Baja

 Sandy or gravelly washes, stream ledges,
coastal sage scrub, chaparral, joshua tree
woodland

 Common on alluvial fans draining the San
Gabriel Mtns.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Lepidospartum+squamatum

© Project SOUND

Broomsages aren’t
sages at all…
 Lepidospartum - a small genus
of three species of flowering
plant in the Sunflower family
In SM mtns  Known commonly as broomsages
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Lepidospartum_squamatum.htm or scalebrooms.
 Native to the southwestern
United States and far northern
Mexico.
 Tall, woody shrubs with stiff
twiggy branches that resemble
brooms.
 Have thin, narrow, needlelike or
scalelike leaves and bear yellow
daisy flowers.
http://www.insectnet.com/photos/flora1/fl_scalebroom.htm
© Project SOUND

California Broomsage can be a bit homely in the wild
 Size:
 3-5 ft tall
 3-5 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Woody sub-shrub;
herbaceous stems from a
woody base
 Branches look like brooms (or
like Ephedra, if you know that
plant)

 Foliage:
 Tiny, scale-like leaves are
well adapted to hot dry
climate

 Roots: deep; branched
© 2001 Thomas M. Elder, M.D.
© Project SOUND
© 2009 Stanley Spencer

Flowers are like
Goldenbush or Goldenrod
 Blooms: in fall, Aug-Oct.

 Flowers:
 Small, in sunflower heads
– no true ray flowers
 Very similar to
Goldenbush or Mock
Heather (Ericameria)
 Plants just covered with
flowering heads – very
showy in bloom

 Seeds:
 Small, with fluffy ‘hairs’
 Eaten by seed-eating
birds
© 2004 Dr. Daniel L. Geiger
© Project SOUND

Important fall habitat plant
 Attracts a wide
variety of
Lepidoptera,
Hymenoptera,
Diptera, Coleoptera,
and Orthoptera
 Bees
 Flies & beeflies
 Butterflies & moths
 Beetles
 And many, many
http://www.fotolog.com/treebeard/archive?v=da
y&month=8&year=2004&day=29

more

© Project SOUND

Broomsage takes a  Soils:
lot of abuse…  Texture: well-drained
 pH: any local including alkali

 Light: full sun; takes heat

 Water:
 Winter: tolerates seasonal
flooding
 Summer: very drought
tolerant; best Zone 1-2 or 2

 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

 Other:
 Remember, this is a rather
plain plant most of the year –
plant accordingly
 Best if pruned back after
flowering when looks scraggly
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/scalebroom.html
© Project SOUND

Broomsage is right at
home in the desert garden

 Usually used in
desert-themed
gardens; but fine also
for dry streambeds,
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/scalebr4.htm rock gardens
 Excellent choice for
fall color in hot, dry
gardens (better than
Goldenbushes)
 Fine habitat plant –
nectar, seeds, and
cover
© Project SOUND

http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Lepidospartum_squamatum.htm

Three simple things you can do to increase
pollinators in your garden

 provide a range of
locally native flowering
plants that bloom
throughout the
growing season
 create nest sites for
native pollinators
 avoid using pesticides
© Project SOUND

Most of us know that butterflies can be
important pollinators

© Project SOUND

Butterfly flowers have certain characteristics due to
their relationship with their butterfly pollinators
 Butterflies are very active
during the day and visit a
variety of wildflowers.
Butterflies are less efficient
than bees at moving pollen
between plants. Highly perched
on their long thin legs, they do
not pick up much pollen on their
bodies and lack specialized
structures for collecting it.
Butterflies have good
vision but a weak  Butterflies probe for nectar,
sense of smell. Unlike their flight fuel, and typically
favor the flat, clustered
bees, butterflies can flowers that provide a landing
see red. pad and abundant rewards.
© Project SOUND

Butterfly flowers have certain characteristics due to
their relationship with their butterfly pollinators
 Butterfly Flowers often are:
 In clusters and provide landing
platforms

 Brightly colored (red, yellow,
orange)

 Open during the day

 Ample nectar producers, with
nectar deeply hidden

 Nectar guides present

 May be clusters of small flowers
(goldenrods, Buckwheats)
© Project SOUND

Pollination syndromes: a partial answer to the
question ‘why all those types of flowers?’
 Pollination syndromes are suites of flower
traits that have evolved in response to
natural selection imposed by different
pollen vectors, which can be abiotic (wind
and water) or biotic, such as birds, bees,
flies, and so forth.
 These traits include flower shape, size,
colour, odor, reward type and amount,
nectar composition, timing of flowering,
etc.
 For example, tubular red flowers with
copious nectar often attract hummingbirds;
foul smelling flowers attract carrion flies
or beetles, etc.
 Pollination syndromes are excellent
examples of convergent evolution.
© Project SOUND

*Our Lord’s Candle – Hesperoyucca (Yucca) whipplei

© Project SOUND

 Coastal S. California across portions
of the Mohave Desert southward
into Mexico and northeast to
Arizona.

 Locally, ssp. intermedia occurs in the
Santa Monica Mtns & ssp. parishii
occurs along the coastal slopes of
the San Gabriel & San Bernardino
Mtns.

 Ssp. intermedia - coastal sage scrub
and chaparral, 0-2000 ft. Usually in
areas transitional between maritime
and continental influences. Ssp.
parishii on foothill slopes
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/draw_jmap.pl?38c0235501

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101658 © Project SOUND



Ssp. intermedia – coastal Ssp. parishii – transverse ranges
© Project SOUND

Yuccas are interesting succulents
 Size:
 2-3 ft tall; flower stalk to 10-12
ft
 2-3 ft wide

 Growth form:
 Perennial succulent – evergreen
to almost so
 Spp. intermedia forms clonal
clumps

 Foliage:
 Foliage in basal rosette
 Leaves green to blue-green,
bayonet-like with strong, sharp
spine on tips
 Very decorative – long used in
Glenn and Martha Vargas © California Academy of Sciences
gardens
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Yucca_whipplei.htm © Project SOUND

Sub-species are adapted
to local conditions
 Subspecies are distinguished
by growth form (caespitose or
solitary) and color, size, and
shape of leaves and flowers.

 The five subspecies also
differ in phenological
development (timing), fruit
set, and growth habit. The
life history of each subspecies
is distinct

 Local coastal ssp. intermedia
(from Santa Monica mtns.)
sends out pups before it dies,
so it forms clonal clumps
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Yucca_whipplei.htm

© Project SOUND

Yucca are useful
 Leaves:
 Fibers used for rope, mats,
sandals, baskets, nets

 Roots:
© 2009 Stanley Spencer
 Source of saponins for soap

 Flowers/Flowering stalk:
 Young blossoms were eaten
raw, roasted, or cooked with
wild onions
 Flowering stem - raw or
cooked. Very young stalks
used to make syrup
 Seeds were ground & eaten
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Yucca_whipplei.htm © Project SOUND

Flowers are spectacular –
but rare
 Each plant blooms only once,
usually at 8-12 years age,
before dying

 Blooms: in spring, usually Apr-May
in coastal areas, a bit later
further inland; 2-7 week bloom
period (shortest on dry sites)

 Flowers:
 On a stout flowering stem, 8-
12 ft tall
 Color ranges from white (ssp.
intermedia) to cream-colored
(ssp. parishii)
 Flowers bell-shaped, large (1+
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/chaparralyucca.html inch) unlike any others
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database © Project SOUND

Yucca seeds are
also distinctive

 Form inside a hard, leathery
capsule – ripe when capsule
becomes dry & starts to open
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences  Flat black seeds in densely-
packed columns

 Variable germination rates. To
enhance:

 Store in moist sand or
perlite in refrigerator for
several months

 Pre-soak seeds for 24 hrs in
warm water
Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database © Project SOUND

Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: not particular, but
usually well-drained in nature
 pH: any local

 Light:
 Full sun to light shade
 Can take heat, reflected heat

 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: looks best with
occasional summer water
(Zone 1-2 to 2)

 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils

 Other: older leaves may die;
these can be removed to improve
appearance.
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

Yuccas make unique
specimen plants
 In community-themed gardens:
Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral,
Desert

 In rock gardens and other
water-wise gardens
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Yucca-whipplei/

 On dry hillsides, slopes

 As a habitat plant:
 The flowers, fruits used by a
number of small birds and
mammals; provides cover for
small animals like lizards
 Larval food for the California
yucca moth (Tegeticula
maculata)
http://www.bennyskaktus.dk/images/others_pictures/Alexander_Heim/Yucca_whipplei_GR_Herbst_2008_383.jpg © Project SOUND

The CA Yucca Moth - Tegeticula maculata
 Very specialized (and old)
relationship between Tegeticula
maculata and Hesperoyucca
whippleii (likely 35-40 million years
old)
 Classic example of co-evolution:
 Moth specialized for pollinating
the yucca
Northern type  Yucca provides food and
environment for development of
the larva

 Phenotypic variation likely due to
founder effect
 Y. whippleii also hosts at least
three species of non-pollinator
"bogus yucca moths."

http://plantecology.syr.edu/segraves/PDFs/Segraves%26Pellmyr'01.pdfProject SOUND
©

Life cycle of the Yucca Moth
 Spring nights
 Larva pupate, adults emerge from sand-
covered underground cocoon
 Adults mate
 Females collect pollen & form it into a
pollen ball.
 Female deposits eggs into stigma/ovary
of a virgin flower
 Pollen ball is then stuffed down the
stigma of the virgin flower
 Pollinate flowers
 Provide food for the larva

 Summer/early fall
 Larva hatch & grow, eating pollen &
seeds
 Form a cocoon in the developing seed pod

 Fall
 Larva fall to ground for over-wintering
© Project SOUND

The yucca plant and moth are absolutely dependent upon one
another for reproductive success, yet the terms of their contract
are usually complex.
 First, the yucca plant must sacrifice a
significant percentage of its seeds as food
for the moth larvae, although limited
feeding damage enhances seed germination.
Only a few seeds are actually eaten
 Second, if yucca moth females deposit too
many eggs within a single flower, the plant
can selectively abort that flower,
effectively killing all larvae within it.
Female moths leave a scent trace after pollination
 Finally the yucca-moth mutualism (living
together in such a way as to increase each
other’s reproductive success) is vulnerable
to exploitation by cheaters: other moth
http://www.smmtc.org/plant_of_the_month_2006
species lay eggs within fertilized flowers
but do not pollinate the flower.
06_Yucca.htm

Limited numbers and hybridization with pollinators
© Project SOUND

Not all pollinators work during the day….

© Paul Mirocha 2004

© Project SOUND

Moths are very common – though most
people don’t know this
 With over 142,000 described species
worldwide, moths are a smashing
evolutionary success, second among animals
only to beetles in number of species.
 Over 12,000 species, grouped into 65
families, are found in North America alone.
 The moth fauna of the Southwest is
particularly rich, as it includes the northern
limit of distribution for many primarily
Neotropical species.
http://www.laspilitas.com/butterflylist_fil

 Within the order Lepidoptera, moth species
es/Sphinx_moth-2.jpg

outnumber butterflies and skippers nearly
15 to 1, with many species left to be
described, especially among the numerous
“microlepidopteran” families.

© Project SOUND

Moths & Butterflies are in the same Order

 Moths and Butterflies are very much
alike, but there are several
characteristics that Moths have that
Butterflies don't:
 Moths usually have less colorful wings.
 Moths have furrier bodies.
 The antennas of moths are feathery or
threadlike.
 Most moths fly at night. One exception
to this rule is the Clearwing
Hummingbird Moth.

 Like Butterflies, Moths go through a
metamorphosis where the young change
completely before becoming adults.

© Project SOUND
http://bscit.berkeley.edu/eme/lucidkeys/macromoths/Macromoth%20Key/Moths%20vs.%20butterflies.htm

Why are moths so successful?
 All moths undergo complete metamorphosis. Thus, the typical moth
lives 2 ostensibly distinct lives; it is born as a terrestrial,
vegetarian eating machine and is “reborn” as a winged creature of
the night, hell-bent on completing its reproductive cycle. Yet this is
not unusual for insects.
 Moths share a common body plan with other insects, including a
head with large compound eyes and sensitive olfactory appendages
(antennae).
 As in beetles, moths from different families vary widely in wing
venation, shape and coloration, larval and adult feeding habits and
behaviors, mating systems, population structures, thermal biology,
and sizes, ranging from the minute clothes moth (Tineidae) with its
¼ to 3/8 inch (7-10 mm) wingspread, to the bat-sized hawkmoths
(Sphingidae) and giant silkmoths (Saturniidae).
 Unlike beetles, the overwhelming majority of moth species are
herbivorous as larvae and adults; there are far fewer examples of
carnivores, fungivores, and detritivores among moth lineages. The
complex relationships between moths and their host plants may
hold keys to understanding why there are so many moths.
© Project SOUND

Moths, like butterflies, can be ‘picky eaters’
 The caterpillars of most moths are highly
specialized - eat only one or a few plant
species.
 Unfortunately, moth caterpillars are
infamous for the exceptional cases; the
decimation of crop plants by extreme
generalists such as the cabbage looper
(Trichoplusia ni; Noctuidae), and the
destruction of wool clothing and stored
grains by moths in the family Tineidae.
Humans owe a debt of  The repeated association of certain moth
gratitude to moths and other and butterfly lineages with specific families
insects for such biochemical
plant wealth, which, quite of host plants worldwide suggests that
coincidentally, provides us with these relationships are ancient.
a pharmacopoeia of natural
drugs, insecticides, flavors, and  A closer examination reveals complex suites
fragrances. of plant defenses, both chemical
(terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolics, cyanide-
generating compounds) and physical (hairs,
spines, tough leaves, oozing resins, and
latex), designed to keep caterpillars at bay.
© Project SOUND

Moths, like butterflies, can be ‘picky eaters’
 Caterpillars, in turn, have evolved
numerous strategies to counteract these
defenses, from detoxification or rapid
excretion of plant toxins to avoidance of
older, better defended leaves. Some
specialized caterpillars co-opt the toxins
from their host plants for their own
defenses, and advertise their acquired
distastefulness with bright, vivid colors.

 There are additional, more subtle levels
to the wars between caterpillars and
their host plants. When caterpillars
remain undaunted by chemical or physical
deterrents, plants may use extrafloral
nectaries or other foodstuffs to
purchase the services of ants and wasps
as caterpillar exterminators.

It’s a war zone out there!
© Project SOUND

Caterpillars (of both butterflies & moths)
are vulnerable
 The scents of wounded leaves and
grass, the by- products of
caterpillar foraging, are attractive
to the parasitic wasps and flies
 Caterpillars are also preyed upon by
birds, wasps, and other visually
foraging predators.
 In order to survive, they defend
themselves by being distasteful or
covering themselves with stinging
spines, or through bluff and deceit:
they mimic leaves, twigs, galls,
flower buds, bird droppings, and
even snakes.
© Project SOUND

Snowberry Clearwing - Hemaris diffinis
 Life history: Adults fly swiftly during the
day. Two broods, Mar-Aug.
 Caterpillar hosts: Snowberry
(Symphoricarpos), honeysuckle (Lonicera),
dogbane (Apocynum)
 Adult food: Nectar from flowers including
milkweed, Monardella, some thistles,
Snowberry, Honeysuckles, lantana, lilac, and
others. Uses long proboscis, which is curled
http://www.cirrusimage.com/Moths/Hemaris_diffinis_1.jpg
under the head when not feeding, to siphon
nectar.
 Habitat: A wide variety of open habitats,
streamsides, fields, gardens, and suburbs.

http://www.butterfliesunlimited.net/Species/diffinis.htm
© Project SOUND

Caterpillar is a
‘hornworm’
 The caterpillar can be found in the
leaf litter under host plants.
 The caterpillar has yellow markings
on both the base of the posterior
black horn and across the head.
There are also nine dark spiracles
along each side.
 It pupates in a black cocoon with a
covering of leaves as its only
protection.
 When the moth emerges from the
cocoon it has blue-black scales
covering the wings. Throughout
flight, these scales fall off the
wings, leaving them transparent.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/2639/bgimage © Project SOUND

Snowberry
Clearwing is a mimic
 Resembles a small hummingbird.
 It is diurnal
 It takes nectar while hovering.
 The wingbeat is not as fast as the
hummingbird's but the overall
transparency of the wing makes it
nearly invisible.
 Mimics a bumblebee or wasp for
protection.
 The fuzzy yellow and black
striped thorax and large eyes on
the protruding head make this
moth easy to mistake for a bee.
 It also makes a buzzing sound as
it flits from flower to flower,
often hovering in mid-air.
 With its 1 ¼ - 2 inch wingspan, it
also gives the impression of being
the size of a bee or wasp.
http://home.centurytel.net/Arkcite/clrwing.htm
© Project SOUND

Creeping Snowberry is a ‘Honeysuckle’

 Size:
 2-4 ft high
 2-6 ft wide

 Winter deciduous – not
long in S. Bay
 Growth form: mounded
or arching with trailing
branches – good cover
http://polyland.calpoly.edu/OVERVIEW/Archives/derome/woodlands.html

Like others in the Honeysuckle family, for birds, small animals
young branches are attractive color
 Slow-growing
© Project SOUND

Flowers & berries:
understated

 Blooms: Mar-May/June
 Flowers: small hanging,
bell-shaped, pinkish-
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/snowbml.htm
white flowers
 Berries:
 Summer
 Snow-white
 Fruit: edible but not great
 Fruit-eating birds eat it:
Mockingbirds, Finches,
Towhees, etc

http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/snowbml3.htm © Project SOUND

Growing Creeping Snowberry is easy
 Light: full sun to full shade –
tolerates full sun near coast
 Soils:
 Any well-drained
 Better in neutral to slightly
acid pH: 5-7; can use pine-
needle or bark mulches

 Water: moderate to low
summer water – quite
adaptable
 Nutrients: light fertilizer
Can be pruned to the ground to (acid) for more blooms &
encourage full new growth, more fruits
flowers & fruits
© Project SOUND

Creeping Snowberry is versatile shrub
 Wonderful for its ‘woodsy’ look
 Good performer in shady parts of
garden:
 North-facing slopes and areas
 Under trees (incl. oaks, pines)
 Root characteristics bind soils –
slopes
 Nice with other shade-lovers:
Ribes, Douglas Iris, Heucheras
 Quite tolerant of urban/suburban
conditions
 As host plant for Snowberry
Clearwing moth

http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/plants/magnoliophyta/magnoliophytin
a/magnoliopsida/caprifoliaceae/symphoricarpos/index.html © Project SOUND

The moths of dawn
and twilight
 While earliest fossil moths
suggest that they shared
the world with dinosaurs
and flying reptiles, we
probably can never know if
or when moths or their
ancestors abandoned
daylight for a relatively
predator-free night.

 The main night predators of
moths are the bats

Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri
Hooker’s Evening Primrose
© Project SOUND

Moths have developed an array of strategies that enable them
to avoid becoming evening snacks for a bat.
 Many night-flying moths have pairs of ears positioned on both
sides of their abdomens that are tuned to exactly the sound
frequencies emitted by hunting bats. These sensitive ears allow
the moths to eavesdrop on the hunting cries of bats and to
attempt to avoid them.
 Moths have two levels of escape behavior when they hear a bat:
 If their bat-detecting ears inform them that a bat is on the way, but
still distant, the moth turns away from the direction that the cries
are coming from and leaves the area.
 However, if the bat gets very close before it is detected, the moth
suddenly executes a series of high-speed acrobatic maneuvers,
usually ending in a dive for the ground or the shelter of bushes.
 Some moths confuse bats by emitting sounds similar to those emitted
by a bat closing in on prey.
 Some moths (which don’t have ‘bat-detecting ears’) are either too
small or too large to be suitable bat prey
 Other moths, which forage at dusk & dawn, have colors and
sounds which communicate ‘I’m Too Toxic to Eat’ © Project SOUND

Large, night-flying moths are among the
most fascinating of creatures
 Though moths possess visual systems especially
adapted for night life, most species identification and
sexual information in moths is communicated via air-
borne chemical signals known as pheromones.
 Moths and many other insects appear to have only a
very limited chemical vocabulary, usually amounting to
“Hey baby, I’m a fantastic guy,” and “OK, I’m ready to
mate.”
 In a large majority of the moth species so far
studied, the female determines when mating will occur
by releasing her sex-attractant pheromones.
 In some moths, a male releases his own unique
courtship pheromone and fans it over the female with
his wings. The female moth uses the quantity or
quality of the male’s pheromone to assess his “quality”
as a potential mate. It is interesting that many of the
chemical compounds identified from male pheromones
are also common components of the scents of flowers.
© Project SOUND

Ceanothus Silk Moth - Hyalophora euryalus
 Life history: Females glue eggs singly
or in clumps on leaves of the host
plant. The eggs hatch in 9-14 days and
the caterpillars eat leaves. The cocoon
is spun in the outer part of the host
plant and is attached to a twig by only
one-half its length.
 Wing span: 3.5 - 5 inches (8.9 - 12.7
cm).
 Caterpillar hosts: A wide range of
plants including buckbrush
(Ceanothus), manzanita
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/saturn/He/He.htm

(Arctostaphylos), gooseberry (Ribes),
willows (Salix), alder (Alnus), Laurel
Sumac (Malosma laurina) and mountain
mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides)
 Adult food: Adults do not feed.
 Habitat: A wide variety of habitats
including coastal areas, chaparral, and
conifer forests.
© Project SOUND

Ceanothus Silk Moth
larva are fearsome!

 Larva are voracious eaters!
 Cocoon is a large oval
structure, usually slightly
pointed at one end.


© Project SOUND


Giant Moths are more common than most
people think

 Ceanothus Silkmoth flies
primarily late at night, its
mating flight usually
between 3:00 a.m. and
dawn.
 Since few people are awake
at these hours, most giant
moths are considered great
rarities by the general
public when, in fact, many
of these moths, including
the present species, may be
locally abundant
© Project SOUND

Hawk or Hummingbird Moths - Order
Lepidoptera, Family Sphingidae

 Moths in this family are easily
identified because they are large
and have a characteristic
triangular wing shape.

 Adults also have an unusually long
Very long proboscis (tongue) proboscis that is used to suck
nectar from long tube-shaped
flowers.

 The larvae of many species have a
spine or horn at the back end and
are called hornworms.

http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/arthropoda/hyles
_lineata.html © Project SOUND

White-lined Sphinx moth, Hiles lineata
 The most common Sphingid in California.
Especially common in desert areas.
 Adults have a whitish stripe running the
length of the forewing.
 During years of heavy winter rains, when
there is a wide variety of annual plants that
are food for the larvae, this sporadic species
may be very common and can occasionally
http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/dj_IRF.htm
occur in tremendous numbers.
 Adult moths feed on nectar while hovering
around blossoms. Because of this behavior,
they have often been mistaken for
hummingbirds. Adults fly only in late spring
and summer.
 White lined sphinx moths and other moths in
this family are especially important pollinators
of desert plants having large white, fragrant
flowers. Two favorites are Jimson weed
(Datura meteloides) and primrose (Oenothera
sp.) which open their flowers at sunset.
http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/03/30/white-lined-sphinx-moths/
© Project SOUND

White-lined Sphinx Moth
Hiles lineata
 Larvae brightly colored and conspicuous,
varying in color from yellow to black and
sporting yellow lines down the length of
the body.
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/arthropoda/hyl
es_lineata.html

 From April to June can be seen feeding
on low growing foliage of desert
dandelion (Malacothrix), evening
primrose (Oenothera sp.), buckwheat
(Eriogonum), sand verbena (Abronia) and
wishbone bush or wild four o'clock
(Mirabilis bigelovii).
 Depending on the temperature, these
http://people.uleth.ca/~dan.johnson/dj_IRF.htm

active crawlers move from the food
plants to the ground freely and are
easily spotted.
 When populations are especially large,
the caterpillars can move in great
hordes, devouring entire plants
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/hlinelin.htm © Project SOUND

Attracting White-lined Sphinx Moth
to our gardens is quite easy
 Adult food (nectar)
 Salvia spp. - Sages
 Oenothera spp – Four O’Clocks
 Mirabilis multiflora
 Sacred datura (Datura wrightii),
 Other annual wildflowers

 Larval food sources
 California fuchsias
 Oenothera species (O. hookeri;
O. caespitosa)
 Very wide host range that
includes native Buckwheats, Sand
Verbena and non-native
portulaca, apple, grape, and
others.
© Project SOUND
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/arthropoda/hyles_lineata.html

* White (Tufted) Evening Primrose – Oenothera caespitosa
 Plant of the western U.S. into
Mexico
 Locally, in CA Deserts & desert
foothills
 Found in open desert scrub,
rocky flats and slopes, and
playas, sandy washes,
grasslands, pinyon/juniper
woodlands, up to coniferous and
bristlecone pine forests

 A member of the evening-
primrose family (family
Onagraceae), which includes
mainly herbs, rarely shrubs or
trees with often showy flowers.
 Common name after the true
primroses, which also have a
sweet scent.
© Project SOUND
http://www.em.ca/garden/native/nat_oenothera_caespitosa.html

Promoting pollinators 2010

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