Buggin' Out .....

I swear this year is going to be the year of the pollinators at Miss Eff's.

We have been diligently trying to bring more beneficial insects, bees, praying mantis and ladybugs to the garden.

I see lots of new gardeners freak over the perfectly cut circles in the leaves  of roses and lilacs. And me .... I am doing a happy dance because the leaf cutter bees have come to the garden!!

Yea ... the leaves may resemble swiss cheese but ya all know how much I love cheese!

So to that end ... we have been adding some new features to the farm.

Just above is my very complex bee and butterfly waterer. Tomato cage + clay saucer + glass rocks (or pebbles) ..... Add water and the bees or butterflies will land on the stones and drink.  We are "fostering" a bee hive this year. I have read it is surprising how much water they go through.

This is a small butterfly waterer that I got off Etsy. I love this beautiful hand blown glass ... it is so sweet tucked among the blooms. But it is tiny and has to be refilled regularly. 

We have regularly planted food sources in the garden for caterpillars. Dill, fennel, parsley, and Queen Anne's Lace are loved by many caterpillars. We know that monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed .... so we leave as many milkweed plants as possible. I don't want them to take over the garden so if they self-seed in the wrong place ... I pull them out. I hope to add more perennial ornamental milkweed in a border this year. Pretty, perennial and useful is always good. 

So as we try to make our farm friendlier to beneficial insects and pollinators .... please don't freak out! 

Explore the garden.

Watch the bees gather work in garden. Look at the yellow pollen on the bees. Notice the plants they love.

We are welcoming them to the garden. 

And you are totally welcome to come and join them. 

Just don't pollinate! That is not the type of "wild life" we are hoping to see!