Pollinators and other arthropod visitors to a native plant butterfly garden in southeastern Virginia

Background/Question/Methods During July 7-13 and again on September 23, 2007, a butterfly garden was planted on the Hampton University campus in Hampton, Virginia. The garden consists of over one hundred perennial native plants selected to attract butterflies, resist drought, and thrive in full sun. We sought to answer the question: What types of pollinators and other arthropods visit these native plants? This information, which is unknown for many native plants, should be useful in the literature of habitat management for biological control. Observations in the garden were conducted by each of five undergraduate students visiting the garden twice a week from September 9 through the end of November, 2007. The time of day, duration of observation, weather conditions, and arthropods were recorded during each visit. Digital photographs were taken of the plants and any arthropods observed, to facilitate later identification of insects and to document plant phenology through the season. Results/Conclusions Most blooming occurred in October, which corresponded to the highest number of pollinators and other visitors. The species of insects observed varied for different species of plants. The most abundant insects overall were Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera. Other insects observed included Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Homoptera, and Odonata. Non-insect visitors to the garden included goldfinches, rabbits, and spiders.