KMS Native Plants, LLC will be open after the rain at 11:30/12 pm today. See you then!

This fantastic idea is brought to us by Logan and Alex of Living Lands. This northeast native wildflower bird seed mix is great for our feathered friends. I sometimes mix it with no mess safflower seeds or a nut and fruit mix. Even if you do not feed the birds, you can use this mix for winter sowing into milk jugs or directly sowing it into the snow until late February. Why do the hard work when Mother Nature can do it for you?! What is in this mix? Available now in a 1 lb bag @ $25.00 or 2 lb bag @ $40.00. Please email your order to KMSnativeplants@gmail.com (mailto:KMSnativeplants@gmail.com)for pickup only. Shipping is an additional $10.00 + tax.

Save the Date: February 21, 2023 Laura Klahre’s work life has spanned the Dept of Interior, Peconic Estuary Program, and The Nature Conservancy before incorporating her own farm in 2009. Blossom Meadow Farm in Southold NY specializes in growing organic berries to make award-winning jam (national Good Food Awards, International Flavor Awards, World Jam Festival) and raising mason bees for sale as cocoons. Now widely coined as "regenerative agriculture," the farm embraces nature to improve soil health and consistently harvest thousands of pounds of premium fruit each year. She often gets lost in thought about pollinators which seems to make her late everywhere she goes. Zoom Webinar Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86286831262?pwd=RG5JOFVsYkM3OVBwREtGcTl3a3laUT09

My absolute favorite butterfly! What's your favorite butterfly? I found these on Ptelea trifoliata - Hop Tree. A fantastic, small understory tree growing 15-20'. Great for dry shade or moist shade. Flowers in June are a must for early native pollinators. Pictures: KMS Native Plants LLC

This beautiful native vine is a great substitute for the invasive Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle. Our native honeysuckle is a hummingbird magnet and a host plant for the Snowberry Clearwing Moth. Best flowering in full sun but it will take partial shade and average, well drained soil. It needs a little help to get started climbing but once it gets established it will take off. Full Bloom Flower bud Snowberry Clearwing Moth Caterpillar munching on its host plant Lonicera sempervirens

Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly on Echinaca purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit' - Coneflower Cultivar

A quick video of a Black Swallowtail caterpillar feeding on its native host plant, Zizia aurea - Golden Alexander. It's amazing how fast they eat.

So excited to get this video of a Carpenter Bee nectar robbing Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' - Beardtongue Cultivar. Nectar robbing is when a bee (usually Carpenter Bees but also ants, birds and moths) drills a hole in the corolla of the flower thus bypassing the reproductive organs of a flower to steal the nectar. Some say this leads to less seed production. Others say this increases seed production because bees that do go in the flower need to visit more flowers in order to get more nectar since the supply is diminished by the robber. Something to think about.

All Hairstreaks will move their hind wings up and down when perched. If you notice, the tails on the hind wings look like eyespots. This 'false head' is believed to attract potential predator's to this part of the body. If attacked, this part of the wings may be torn away to escape. The plant in the video is Asclepias incarnata ssp pulchra - Showy Swamp Milkweed.

Caught these two Carpenter Bees mating in the Native Plant Pickup Yard.

This beautiful Red-banded Sand Wasp is an amazing pollinator. It is also a predator and found a tasty Tomato Hornworm (which will turn into beautiful Hawk Moth) for her offspring. She will drag this into her burrow and lay an egg on the paralyzed caterpillar. When the egg hatches, it will consume the paralyzed caterpillar and mature into the adult form by the time it is finished. A good look at the powerful mandibles (jaw) of the Red-banded Wasp on Monarda punctata - Spotted Horsemint. Red-banded wasp on Echinacea purpurea - Purple Coneflower.

I still can't believe I caught this on video. I was about to throw out these old bamboo stakes and this little bee came in with her freshly cut leaf. Needless to say, they are now a permanent ficture on this patio table.

This female bumble bee is having a grand time pollinating this Prairie Rose.

The Great Black Wasp with pollinator magnet Monarda punctata - Spotted Horsemint