TDOT Department of Transportation POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR POLLINATOR PROJECT

Questions for Pollinator Project

What is Pollination? Pollination is the process of moving pollen from one flower to another of the same species, which produces fertile seeds. Most flowering plants are pollinated by bees, butterflies, bats and other animals and insects.

Who are Pollinators? Bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, beetles, wasps, and even flies pollinate flowers…. but bees pollinate more than any other group.

Why are Pollinators important? Besides their beauty, insects and other animals pollinate one-third of all the food we eat including berries, apples, tomatoes and almonds. Their economic value is $217 billion worldwide.

Why do Pollinators need help? Habitat loss, diseases, pollution and pesticide poisoning have caused a severe decline in pollinator species numbers.

What are native plants and why should I use them? Native plants are plants that have occur naturally or existed for many years in an area. Pollinators have evolved with native plants which are best adapted to the local growing season, climate and soils. Pollinators feed on specific plant species that they have adapted to. Non-native plants may not provide pollinators with enough food, nectar or pollen.

What is a Solitary Bee? I thought they lived in hives! Bees are a diverse group of insects that include over four thousand species native to North America. There are two groups organized according to the way they nest- Solitary or Social. Three-quarters of our native bees are solitary nest builders. Solitary Bees include carpenter bees, sweat bees, mason bees, plasterer bees, squash bees, dwarf carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, alkali bees and digger bees. Most solitary bees nest in the ground while others create nests in hollow reeds, twigs or holes in wood. Social Bees live in social colonies and have cooperative brood care and a division of labor into reproductive and non-reproductive adults. These include honey bees, bumble bees and Africanized bees.

How do Butterflies survive the winter? Most butterflies overwinter as eggs, caterpillars and pupae. Tree cavities, leaf litter and branch piles shelter over-wintering butterflies from predators and cold weather.

I’ve heard that many bees are dying because of Colony Collapse Disorder. What is the cause of this? Colony Collapse Disorder is a rather mysterious phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving behind a queen, a few nurse bees, and plenty of food. Scientists believe the disorder is caused by a variety of factors, including parasitic mites, diseases, some chemical insecticides and fungicides (including neonicotinoid insecticides), habitat destruction, and immune- suppressing stress caused by all of the above.

What is the difference between Colony Collapse Disorder and Pollinator Decline? Beekeepers began noticing the Colony Collapse Disorder in 2006-2007, but pollinators in general have been declining for decades. Evidence has shown that the number of pollinator species has declined since the 1950s in some European countries. Scientists believe that – as with Colony Collapse Disorder – there are multiple causes, including but not limited to pesticides. Monarch butterfly numbers have declined by 90% in just 20 year!

How can I protect Pollinators?

1. Grow plants that support pollinators. 2. Ban dangerous pesticides. 3. Preserving wild habitat. 4. Restore ecological agriculture. 5. Do not use Neonicotinoid pesticides. Check the label of nursery plants and products.

Take one of our brochures ‘Be a Friend to Tennessee’s Pollinators’ to learn more.

Meadow Plants at Our Welcome Center

What is that meadow by the parking lot? TDOT It’s a one-acre wildflower meadow started in the spring of 2019. Department of It is the first one of many more to come. TDOT plans to build Transportation and maintain pollinator habitat along our 13,807 miles of road- ways, and at welcome centers and rest stops. We also will POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM partner with State Parks to create large acreages of wildflowers to support their Honey Project. h�ps://tnstateparks.com/honey-project

Bo�lebrush buckeye- Aesculus parviflora Bu�onbush- Cephalanthus occidentalis Silky aster- Aster sericeus

Common milkweed- Asclepias syriaca Bu�erfly milkweed- Asclepias tuberosa New England aster- Aster novae-angliae

Lance-leaf coreopsis- Coreopsis lanceolata Purple coneflower- Echinacea purpurea Sweet Joe-Pye weed- Eupatorium purpureum Meadow Plants at Our Welcome Center

TDOT Department of Transportation POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM Can you identify some of the plants growing in the meadow?

Rough blazingstar- Liatris aspera Bee balm- Monarda didyma Hairy beardtongue- Penstemon hirsutus

Beardtongue- Penstemon smallii Black-eyed susan- Rudbeckia hirta Lyre-leaf sage- Salvia lyrata

Gray goldenrod- Solidago nemoralis Rough-leaved goldenrod- Solidago rugosa Tall ironweed- Veronia noveboracensis Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the butterflies in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) Emperors (Apaturinae Don Hall Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) Admirals and Relatives (Limenitidinae and Relatives Admirals

Benny Mazur Bill Bouton

Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) Leafwings (Charaxinae) Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)

Ellen Jones Longwings (Heliconiinae) Emperors (Apaturinae Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the butterflies in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) Longwings (Heliconiinae) Diana (Speyeria diana)

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the butterflies in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus) Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae) True Milkweed Butterflies (Danainae)

Gary Jue Snouts (Libytheinae) American Snout (Libytheana carinenta) Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)

Lauren Ackein Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae) True American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Howell C. Curtis Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis)) Harvesters (Miletinae)

KsWorldArtKsWorldArt True Brushfoots (Nymphalinae) True Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

David L. Kinney Harvesters (Miletinae) Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius) Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Female

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Male Swallowtails (Papilioninae) (Papilioninae) Swallowtails Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the butterflies in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)

Ken Childs Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) Female

Gregory Scheckler Swallowtails (Papilioninae) (Papilioninae) Swallowtails Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Don Simmons Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Greg W. Lasley Giant-Skippers (Megathyminae) Giant-Skippers (Megathyminae) Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) Cofaqui Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the butterflies in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Female Je rey Pipper Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis) Gregory Spicer

Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae) Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus)

Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus) CA Ivy Hoary Edge (Achalarus lyciades)

Kim Garwood Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius) Dorantes Longtail (Urbanus dorantes) Butterflies of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Sleepy Duskywing (Erynnis brizo)

Female

Andreas Kay Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae) Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus)

Gary Myers Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus)

Northern Cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) Marlin Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae)

Je ery Pippen Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco) Bees and Wasps of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation Can you identify some of the insects in the meadow? POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Social (colonizing) Bees and Wasps

Thomas Bentley German Yellowjacket (Vespula germanica) Honey Bees are Non- Native Honey Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Jo Ann Poe-McGavin John Ascher European Hornet (Vespa crabro) Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens)

Ryan Hodnett David Illig Bald-Faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) Bees and Wasps of Tennessee TDOT Department of Transportation POLLINATOR HABITAT PROGRAM

Solitary Bees

edupic.net Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

André Karwath Mason Bee (Osmia spp.)

Brian Buckner Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia lignaria)

Elin Pierce

Leafcutter Bee (Megachilidae) Peter Bryant Sweat Bee (Halictidae spp.)

GeorgiaOrganics J. Baker Southern Blueberry Bee (Habropoda laboriosa) Mining Bee (Adrena spp.)