Emerald green sweat bees are striking in appearance with coloring that ranges from metallic green to blue or purple. It is found throughout the US from sea level to about 8,000 feet but is most common on the West Coast.
In late summer as most seasonal flowering plants start to wither, the cheery garden cosmos is still blooming strong. It is also attracting a diversity of bees, pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Many home gardeners put much effort into attracting bees to their summer flower and vegetable gardens. But it's just as important to be bee-friendly in the fall and winter. Here's how to do it.
The white mariposa lily is a bulb-forming perennial that produces a flowering stem up to 20 inches tall. Flowers have three large white petals with purple blotches, and bloom occurs June to August.
Mountain death camas is a perennial that grows in mountain meadows, rocky slopes and forests. Its creamy flowers bloom in the summer. The plant is toxic, including its pollen and nectar, and attracts one type of bee.
The California poppy blooms from March to October and attracts hundreds of native bees. It grows in grassy areas up to 7,000 feet. Flowers respond phototropically to low light levels, closing at night and on cloudy days.
Small camas is a perennial that produces a stem up to three feet high with blue-violet, star-shaped flowers. It is found on grassy slopes and meadows at low to mid-elevations and blooms from April to June.
Scarlet gilia is a biennial to perennial forb with a flowering stem up to 2 feet tall. Long, red tubular flowers grow on stems, and bloom occurs August to October. Found on hillsides and slopes at higher elevations.
Penstemon procerus features blue-purple, tubular petals and attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The plants are fairly common at middle to high elevations of western North America from Alaska to California.
Silvery lupine has multiple erect stems 1 to 2 feet tall with blue to violet flowers that grow on spikes 8 inches long. Bloom occurs June to August. Found in stream valleys, dry roadsides and rocky prairies.