Although there are wide variations in flower color at all seasons, I tend to
think as summer as being the time of many yellow flowers of the aster family.
Hence the derivation of the term for the many often unidentified yellow
composites/asters as "DYC," or darn yellow composites! Here in SW VA in fall we
continue to have many yellow flowers such as goldenrod, but it is also the time
for spectacular blue flowers, many of which are specialized for pollination by
bees, especially bumblebees. Bumblebees are physiologically adapted for
foraging in cooler fall temperatures due to their ability to raise their body
temperature by muscular contractions. Thus when I go out on an early fall
morning, it is cool and there are primarily bumblebees on flowers.
A very popular flower in the aster family for many insects in our September
yard is the blue mistflower or ageratum. It has a flat flower shape that is
attractive to a wide variety of insects. For example here are some photos of a
monarch, a bumblebee and a yellow collared scape/tiger moth on mistflower.
In contrast some of the lobelias in the bluebell family attract specific
pollinators. The spectacular great blue lobelia which blooms in late summer and
early fall in our area is primarily pollinated by bumblebees. Yet a close
relative, the bright red cardinal flower, primarily blooms earlier and is
usually pollinated by hummingbirds.
The color blue seems to be an attractant for bumblebees which may not perceive
red as a distinct color. Thus the fall-blooming blue curls (mint family) is
pollinated by native bees. The fall blooming deep blue monkshood (buttercup
family) is a bumblebee specialist.
The more you learn about flowers, the more complex their structures and
functions are revealed to be. Yet there are common evolutionary themes that
begin to reveal themselves when you look for patterns. One of the more
interesting is the relation between flower color, structure and the
pollinator(s) for which the flowers are most attractive. So when you go out to
commune with nature don't just smell the flowers, look carefully at them and
the pollinators that they attract.
Bill Dunson
Galax, VA and Englewood, FL
http://lemonbayconservancy.org/news-blog/nature-notes-by-bill-dunson/
http://pieenvironmental.blogspot.com/
http://www.galaxgazette.com/blogs
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Monarch on blue mistflower or ageratum at farm 9.6.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8885 aa.jpg
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Bumblebee on blue mistflower or ageratum at farm 9.6.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8891 aa.jpg
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Mistflower blue or ageratum with yellow collared scape tiger moth at farm 9.8.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8929 aa.jpg
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Lobelia great blue at farm 9.7.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8903 aa.jpg
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Cardinal flower 7.7.14 Bill Dunson IMG_1339 aa.jpg
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Blue curls Trichostema at farm 9.5.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8866 aa.jpg
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Monkshood at farm Aconitum uncinatum 9.5.15 Bill Dunson IMG_8861 aa.jpg
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