 Some insects overwinter in the pupal stage, emerging as adults in the spring.
The Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio Troilus) butterfly looks for a protected spot to construct its chrysalis. When the swallowtail is ready, it will stop eating. It will bow its head in an upside-down “J” and spin a silk button to attach its head to a twig or branch. It then makes a silk “harness” to hold the chrysalis snugly in place. Relatively safe in its well-camouflaged little home, the developing pupa survives without eating or drinking by lowering its metabolic rate to the bare minimum. To keep from freezing, its body makes glycerol, which acts as an antifreeze. So the next time you’re out for a winter walk, look out for those dead leaves still attached to trees and shrubs—you just might spot a chrysalis! Author: Lisa Schneider Photo credit: UC Davis Art-Science Fusion
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 Many insects successfully pass the winter as immature larvae. The Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) spends the winter as a tiny caterpillar, hidden in leaf litter. The female lays her eggs around the base of native violets, her chosen host plant, in the fall. The caterpillar will emerge soon after; but instead of feeding, it enters diapause (a dormant state), remaining hidden under cover of fallen leaves. When the weather warms and the violets begin to grow, the caterpillar will awaken and begin munching away.
When gardening for pollinators, it’s important to leave the leaves! Over-zealous fall cleanup strips a habitat of one of its most precious winter resources—the shelter of leaf litter. So as the air starts to chill—gardeners can chill out as well, and let clean-up wait till spring! Author: Lisa Schneider Photo Credit: Prairie Haven  Banded Hairstreak butterflies (Satyrium calanus) lay their eggs on the twigs of oak, walnut, hickory, ash, or boxelder trees. The eggs remain dormant throughout the winter and hatch in the spring. The caterpillars then feed on the leaves of these trees, growing and strengthening for the next stage of their life cycle.
When gardening for pollinators, remember, it’s not all about the flowers. Trees are important host plants, providing food and shelter for thousands of caterpillars. For example, an oak tree can support over 500 different species of lepidoptera. So when in doubt—plant a tree! Author: Lisa Schneider Photo credit: Germania Marsh  Most of us are familiar with the story of the monarch butterfly’s epic journey to Mexico each fall. But what about the more than 30 other species of lepidoptera that call the SBG home? Amazingly, butterflies could be present in our gardens and yards—in some stage of their life cycle—all winter long. In the days ahead, we’ll look at examples of eggs, larvae, pupae and adult butterflies who spend the winter with us at the SBG. Stay tuned! Author: Lisa Schneider Photo credit: David Mark  Seed it and Reap!
For the gardener, it’s the most wonderful time of the year—the time when the avalanche of Sharper Image and LL Bean catalogues in the mailbox are replaced by a treasure trove of seed catalogues. One can spend many happy hours with the beautiful photos and glowing descriptions (Non-stop blooms! Easy to grow in any climate!), dreaming of spring while curled up in a comfy chair. But how to ultimately choose from the plethora of irresistible offerings?  We typically associate flowers with warm weather and sunshine, but some special plants grace us with their blooms during chillier times. If you’re out in the woods this time of year, keep your eyes open for these small, yellow, spider-like blooms on bare branches. You’re not alone if you’re wondering, “What is this tree doing, flowering this time of year?” or, “How in the world will those flowers be pollinated?” These are the blooms of witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), a shrub found throughout the eastern U.S., and yes – it’s completely normal for them to bloom in the late fall and winter, long after most of our trees have lost their leaves! For a long time nobody knew how they were pollinated, but eventually scientists discovered that witch hazel is pollinated by a group of winter moths called owlet moths. Amazingly, owlet moths use shivering to increase their body temperature, which allows them to be active on cold nights when they emerge to feed on witch hazel nectar and tree sap!
 SBG Knowledge Series--November
Time for dessert! In an earlier post, we described how pumpkins (along with all other squash and gourds) rely on pollinators such as the native squash bee for pollination. But what about the spices that make pumpkin pie so yummy? It’s an exotic tale filled with intrigue! |
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