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FloriBytes Year V. Issue 2 June 2010 Digital newsletter for the floriculture industry FloriBytes is prepared by members of the Floriculture Industry Roundtable of Ohio which is financially supported by OFA and The Gus Poesh Fund. Jim Locke Beth Fausey Michelle Jones Charles Behnke Nancy Taylor Claudio Pasian Peter Ling Dave Dyke Ray Cloyd Denise Ellsworth Roberto Lopez Dennis Lewandowski Steve Carver Hal Kneen Tim Malinich Luis Cañas Rebecca Schennele Jonathan Frantz Research Update from the University of Kentucky: Perennial Plants to Attract Native Pollinators and Beneficial Insects By Rebecca Schnelle, Jennie Condra, and Dan Potter University of Kentucky [email protected] Project Overview As we all know, flowering plants in the landscape have more than just ornamental value. They can also provide valuable ecosystem services by supporting beneficial insects and native pollinators lending stability to sustainable landscapes. Many predatory and parasitic insects require pollen and nectar resources to thrive. This sustains their benefits for biological control. Beginning with observations in the fall of 2009, a promising new study has begun at UK this spring. We observed that a wasp, Scolia dubia (Fig. 1), which parasitizes green June beetle grubs showed clear preference for certain plants as nectar food sources (Table 1). Green June beetle grubs damage lawns, sport fields, and golf courses by burrowing and uprooting the grass and Figure 1. Two Scolia dubia individuals feeding on nectar and/or pollen from Eryngium planum ‘White Glitter’ on September 4 2009, at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm, Lexington, KY. pushing mounds of soil, and the beetles themselves are pests of blackberries, peaches, grapes, and other ripe fruits. Several other species of parasitoid wasps and native pollinators were attracted to the same set of plants. Previous studies have shown that the presence of nectar food plants can increase the rate of parasitism in nearby pest insect populations. The study we have planned will address the life history of Scolia dubia which is currently undocumented, the number and species of insects attracted by the study plants, and the rate of parasitism of beetle grubs in plots with and without our study plant species. Based on the 2009 observations we selected the following herbaceous perennials to establish a replicated test plot: Pycnanthemum muticum, Eryngium planum ‘Blue Glitter’, Boltonia asteroides ‘Jim Crockett’, Origanum vulgare, Solidago canadensis ‘Golden Baby’ , Sedum telephium ‘Autumn Joy’, Veronica spicata ‘Purplelicous’, Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’, Penstomen baratus ‘Rhondo’, and Gaillardia aristata ‘Arizona’. The first eight species were observed to attract S. dubia in 2009; the latter two were ignored. In addition all plant selections performed well in the UK trial garden (http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/trialgarden/gardenhome.html ). The replicated plot is located at The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky. This location was chosen as it contains areas of turf known to be grub infested, and S. dubia has been observed in the area. Also, this location allows the public to view the project in action through interpretive signage. Significance to the Floriculture Industry Home gardeners already have an interest in planting to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and in promoting natural biological controls to reduce amounts of pesticides applied to control garden insect pests. With increased awareness of the alarming nation-wide decline in honeybees, called colony collapse disorder, citizen conservationists are becoming interested in what they can do to sustain native pollinators such as bumble bees that contribute to backyard diversity and are also important for pollinating garden crops such as tomatoes. Data from this study will contribute to public awareness of these benefits and support increased sales of ornamental perennial plants found to attract and sustain native pollinators and beneficial insects. Golf courses, zoos, and municipalities are additional settings where conservation of beneficial insects is increasingly important. The US Golf Association and Audubon Society, for example, have partnered in program wherein golf courses can incorporate native plant species into naturalized areas to promote conservation of wildlife, pollinators, and urban biodiversity. There has been a lot of talk in floriculture industry lately about bolstering our image as the original ‘green’ industry. Marketing our plants as natural pest control partners would help us move towards that greener image. Figure 2 shows a rough design concept for a hang tag that could be used in a retail setting to draw consumers’ attention to these plants special features. With good data and active extension education programs consumers and landscapers should readily accept the concept of ‘pest control partner plants’, increasing demand for diverse selections of herbaceous perennials. Figure 2. Design idea for a promotional hang-tag (front side on left, back on right) to attach to plants shown to aid in pest insect control. Table 1. Plants in bloom at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm trial garden, Lexington, KY during the Fall 2009 flight of Scolia dubia. All observations were made between 2 and 4 PM and each day selected for observation was sunny with calm winds. Observations were recorded of wasps visiting the flowers of the listed plants on a per plot basis in which each plot contained nine individual plants. ( ..) = No wasps observed; (X) = 1 or 2 wasps; (XX) = 3 to 5 wasps; (XXX) = more than 5 wasps observed. Plants in Bloom Genus species ‘Cultivar’ Achillea millifolium 'Colorado' Achillea ptarmica 'Nobelessa' Achillea tomentosa 'Aurea' Achillea tomentosa 'Goldie' Armeria maritima 'Morning Star Deep Rose' Armeria maritima 'Morning Star White' Campanula carpatica 'Clips Blue' Centaurea montana Centranthus ruber 'Rosyred' Coreopsis grandiflora Sunray Coreopsis tripteris Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Flavora Rose Shades' Echinacea pallida Echinops ritro Eryngium planum 'Blue Glitter' Eryngium planum 'White Glitter' Eupatorium serotinum Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Sun' Gaillardia pulchella 'Sundance' 2Sept. X .. .. .. Observation Dates (2009) 48101216Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. .. .. X .. X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18Sept. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. X X .. .. .. X X .. .. .. X XX .. .. .. X X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. X X XXX .. .. .. .. XX XX XX .. .. .. .. XXX XXX XXX .. .. .. .. XXX XXX XX .. .. .. .. XX XX XX .. .. .. .. XXX XXX XX .. .. .. .. XXX XXX XXX .. .. Helenium autumnale Helenium autumnale 'Helena' Hypericum polyphyllum 'Grandiflorum' Kniphofia uvaria 'Flamenco' Lavandula angustifolia "Vicenza Blue' Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead" Liatris elegans Liatris liglistylis Liatris spicata 'Floristan Violet' Liatris spicata 'Floristan White' Oenothera macrocarpa Oreganum vulgare Penstemon digitalis "Mystica' Physostegia virginiana Pycnanthemum muticum Pycnanthemum pilosum Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' Salvia x superba 'Adora Blue' Salvia x superba 'Dwarf Blue Queen' Salvia x superba 'Rose Queen' Scabiosa japonica var. alpina 'Ritz Blue' Sedum selskianum "Spirit' Sedum x 'Autumn Joy' Solidago canadensis 'Golden Baby' Solidago roanensis Veronica spicata Blue Veronica spicata 'Sightseeing Mix' X X X X XX XX XX XX XXX XXX X X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XXX .. .. XXX XX X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XXX .. .. XXX XX X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XX .. .. XXX XX X X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XX .. .. XXX XX X X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. X .. .. XX XXX X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XX .. .. XX XX X .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. X .. .. XX XX XX .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. XXX XX XXX XX XXX .. XXX XX XXX XX XXX .. XXX XXX XXX XX XXX .. XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX .. XXX XXX XXX XX XXX .. XX XX XX XX XXX .. X XX XX XX XX