As we learned in my previous post, bees and butterflies aren’t the only pollinators. On a walk through a local park, I noticed a variety of insects on the base of a tree. (I didn’t spy all the tiny insects until I was reviewing the photos!) There were some hornets, so I didn’t venture too close, but one visitor piqued my interest. I had discovered a hummingbird moth! With body parts and behavior similar to a hummingbird, it is often mistaken for one. Moths are nocturnal, but this moth is diurnal and a lesser-known pollinator. I’m uncertain what was drawing all the insects to the tree – sap or some other sweet substance? What do you think?

Look carefully. Do you see the feathery antennae, a plump body covered with hair resembling feathers, six legs, and an abdomen that flairs like a tail?  The moth is able to hover like the bird it is mimicking, but it collects nectar with a proboscis, not a beak. There are four types of hummingbird moths in North America. They move quickly, approximately 15 miles per hour, so I felt fortunate to have captured a photo. Unexpected discoveries are the best!

A hummingbird at my feeder:

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Such a great example of mimicry – a defense mechanism. Go here to view full screen.

Can you distinguish a moth from a butterfly? Go here to a post with the answers.

As I approached the entrance to Dunwoody Nature Center, I was greeted by a pollinator garden on the rooftop of an education building – a creative collaboration between scientists and engineers! Read below to learn how it was created:

“The green roof is made up of layers of specially blended soil, rigid drainage boards, and native plants that attract all kinds of pollinators. Our roof captures rainwater before it can become stormwater. The specially blended soil contains small pebble like aggregates, sand, and composted worm castings, The rigid drainboard has shallow cups. Together, they hold the rainwater long enough to irrigate the plants. Unused rainwater flows into the gutter and trickles slowly down into the rain garden below.”

How do you construct a green roof? Go here to view full screen.

Which plants should be included in a pollinator garden? Go here to watch full screen.

Why are pollinators important? Go here to watch full screen.

THORNS, SPINES, and PRICKLES on trunks, stems, leaves, and flowers! As you scroll through these photos I’ve collected over the past year, notice the diversity in placement and length of this plant armor.

Silk Floss Tree

Why would plants have this defense mechanism? Primarily, they are a deterrent to herbivores, animals that eat plants. Some animals, such as donkeys, goats, giraffes, and camels have adaptations that allow them to much on plants with thorns, spikes, or prickles.

Often lumped together, thorns, prickles, and spines are different parts of plants. Roses, blackberry, and raspberry bushes have prickles. Other plants, including cacti, have spines instead of leaves. which also help with water retention. Thorns are found on hawthorns and crown of thorns. Click here to read about the differences.

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Now that you know more about these plant parts, discuss the meaning of these expressions with your children:

• no rose without prickles
• prickly personality
• a thorn in his side

Animals have diverse and unique body parts. Let’s look at two of them.

A dewlap is a thin flap of skin that can be inflated under a lizard’s neck as a warning sign to anyone who has invaded its territory. This nonverbal communication demonstrates dominance to intruders. Heads bob up and down as dewlaps are flashed. The dewlap is also used to attract females. This is another pop of orange to add to our list on the previous post about summer color.

This bumblebee is transporting the pollen it has collected in his pollen sacs or baskets (corbicula). They look like saddlebags! Such a clever means to carry this important cargo!

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