Welcome to August, that liminal time when we have one foot in the light and heat of high summer and the other foot in the cooler, more subdued days of early autumn.
The Sweet Joe-Pye-Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) and boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) that I planted last fall have grown tall and strong and are blooming profusely. The three summersweet shrubs (Clethra alnifolia) have been blooming since June, so where are all the bumblebees, carpenter bees, butterflies, flies, moths, and beetles that usually flock to these pollinator-friendly native plants? These insects, hummingbirds, and even bats are the primary pollinators that carry pollen from plant to plant, thus aiding in reproduction.
Even the annual hatching of the black swallowtail caterpillars on the fennel, dill, and parsley has been slow to materialize this year. Fewer than 10 caterpillars have pupated up to this time, although I am happy to report that we currently have approximately 32 caterpillars in various stages of devel...