Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia

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Phlox Subulata (moss pink) in landscape. Photo © Elaine Mills
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Partnering with Pollinators

Monarch butterfly on swamp milkweed

In recognition of International Pollinator Week in mid-June, join Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills to discuss the small animals that perform such an important role in our home landscapes. Learn about the characteristics of our pollinators and the plants native to the Mid-Atlantic region that will attract them and fill their needs, whether your garden space is large or limited to a patio or balcony. Special attention will be given to keystone plants, soft landings plantings beneath trees, and the needs of pollen specialist bees.

Zoom session, recorded June 5, 2026

Chapter Breaks

Partnering With Pollinators Supporting Material

Pollinators | Native Plants That Support Pollinators | Best Gardening Practices For Pollinators | Resources

Note: Most of the links in the first two sections go to MGNV Tried & True Fact Sheets for the Mid-Atlantic.
Fact sheets with accompanying videos of pollinators are marked with a star (★)

🐛 = Larval host plant & number of Lepidoptera supported

🐝 = Plant supporting pollen specialist bees

MGNV - Sustainable Landscaping Logo

Pollinators

Beetles

Prefer open white, cream, or green-colored flowers with fruity or fetid fragrance

Butterflies

Prefer flat, composite flowers in bright colors

Moths

Prefer pale or white, night-scented tubular flowers

Wasps

Prefer white or yellow flowers with shallow corollas

Syrphid, Bee, Tachinid, House Flies

Prefer shallow white or yellow flowers

Carrion Flies

Prefer dark brown, purple, or pale flowers

Bees

Prefer blue or purple tubular flowers (white/yellow secondary)

Hummingbirds

Prefer bright-colored tubular flowers

Native Plants That Support Pollinators

Most supportive keystone plant genus
Early Spring Ephemerals
Early Spring Trees
More Spring Trees
Spring Herbaceous Plants
More Spring Blooms
Later Spring Blooms
Spring-blooming Shrubs
More Spring-blooming Shrubs
Early Summer Blooms
Summer-blooming Shrubs
Mid-Summer Blooms
Late Summer Blooms
More Summer-blooming Shrubs & Vine
Top Fall Perennials
More Fall Blooms
Soft Landings Plants Beneath Keystone Trees & Shrubs

Best Gardening Practices For Pollinators

Plant Selection
  • Select plants native to the region
  • Use a mix of woody and herbaceous plants with nectar and pollen (especially for pollen specialist bees)
  • Include keystone larval host plants for caterpillars
  • Include soft landings plants beneath keystone trees
  • Provide a continuous succession of flowering plants from spring through fall
  • Aim to have three species blooming at one time
  • Be careful of cultivars, especially those with changes in color, shape, or double-flower forms
  • Avoid Butterfly Bush & Tropical Milkweed which do not support full life cycle of butterflies
  • Remove/do not buy invasive plants
Garden Design
  • Reduce lawns as appropriate and replace them with forage plants
  • Plant pollinator beds in an open, sunny location
  • Plant in masses and drifts to create better visual attraction and facilitate efficient foraging
  • Work to connect existing native plant community fragments and corridors
Habitat
  • Leave areas of bare soil for ground-nesting bees
  • Retain 12-24 inches of cut stems for cavity-nesters
  • Bundle any broken stems in a protected area for nesting
  • Be aware of issues of safety and health with bee hotels
  • Retain leaf litter for overwintering insects and delay clean-up in spring to allow insects to emerge
  • Leave dead trees (snags) and logs as nesting sites
  • Provide containers with water and landing spots for pollinators
  • Leave puddling areas for Lepidoptera to access minerals and salts
  • Use shielded, downward-facing lights with yellow or amber-colored LED bulbs to protect moths
Avoid the use of pesticides & herbicides
  • Beneficial insects are affected as well as targeted species
  • Buy from nurseries that do not use systemic insecticides
  • Strive for non-chemical methods to control pests (including mosquito spray)
  • Employ cultural practices to maintain the health of plants
  • Restrict rare but necessary use to times when forage plants are not flowering

Resources

Pollinators
Beetles
Butterflies & Moths
Wasps
Flies
Bees
Native Plants
Keystone Plants
Invasive Plants
Best Practices for Pollinators
Garden Plans
Container Gardening with Native Plants
Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens