Sharing lavender with the birds and the bees

13 June 2020

Sharing lavender with the birds and the bees

I originally planted lavender for my use. The plant is several years old now, doing well, and making lots of flowers this season. I'm not the only critter in the holler who likes it.

[Photo: Cathie Bird]

This female ruby-throated hummingbird came around on June 10th, spending a full minute visiting every spike that had open flowers.

[Photo: Cathie Bird, 6/12/20]

Bumblebees like it, too. For the past few hours up to three bees at once have been buzzing the flowery spikes -- quite a few more flowers are available today. A wasp stopped by but didn't stay long.

Here's a photo of the new water and puddling stations in my planter garden:

[Photo: Cathie Bird]

I'm not sure this placement is the best, but it's workable for now. A silver-spotted skipper, eastern comma and silvery checkerspot have used the puddle -- it's hard to get photos from my window. Here's the comma resting among some leaves above the edge of the station that was kind of primordial-looking after a rain:

[Photo: Cathie Bird]