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The Golden Buffet

Thursday, October 13, 2016

In September and October, when many plants have hung up their ball gowns, the ubiquitous goldenrod is just making its grand debut. This tall plant with its large grapelike clusters of yellow flowers is hard to miss. Each inflorescence–or flower head–actually contains hundreds of little flowers, on average a thousand per plant. The tiny flowers are heavy with pollen and rely on insects for distribution. The goldenrod pollen is heavy and sticky, making insects, rather than wind, the perfect pollinators.

goldenrod
Photo Credit: Svetlana Wasserman

Because it is among the last flowers to bloom before frost sets in, insects flock to goldenrod like Black Friday shoppers, to build up their reserves for the winter. Butterflies rely on goldenrod for sustenance before beginning their migrations. Bees, bumblebees, wasps and moths can be seen sharing a cluster of goldenrod flowers, so absorbed by their good fortune that they are often oblivious to their surroundings.

bumblebee-2
Bumblebee with proboscis dipped into goldenrod flower. The little hairs on the bumblebee’s legs make excellent carriers for the flower’s pollen. Photo credit: Svetlana Wasserman

 

honeybee-2
Honeybee gathering nectar on goldenrod. The nectar is stored in the hive, providing essential food for the winter. Photo Credit: Svetlana Wasserman

 

The Ailanthus webworm moth can often be seen feeding on Goldenrod. This colorful moth looks more like a beetle than a moth because it tucks its wings so close to its body. Photo credit: Svetlana Wasserman
ailanthus-1
This Ailanthus webworm moth has stuck its long proboscis into the flower and is filling its cheeks with nectar. Photo credit: Svetlana Wasserman

 

With so many insects buzzing drunkenly around the goldenrod, predators find the plant a great watering hole as well. The Goldenrod spider has evolved to blend in perfectly with the flower, and jumps out to attack unsuspecting prey.

goldenrod-spider
Can you find the goldenrod spider hiding in this flower? Photo credit: Ed Nieuwenhays

 

praying-mantis-on-golden-rod-bill-mcmullen
Here a praying mantis stands patiently on a goldenrod stalk, waiting for prey to get within striking distance. Photo credit: images.fineartamerica.com

Even the stem of the goldenrod is a valuable food source. A small fly called the goldenrod gall fly lays an egg on the stem, which causes the plant to develop a shallot-sized growth around the egg. That growth provides shelter for the insect inside–and also a food source for the bird lucky enough to find and pierce the gall to get at the tasty treat inside.

downy-gall
Downy Woodpecker piercing goldenrod gall. Photo by Warren Uxley

So get outside before temperatures drop and look for this bright yellow flower. Be sure to take a close look. You never know what you’ll find on or in it!

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Comments

  1. Ellen Wasserman says

    Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    The pictures that you took of the goldenrod plant with its beautiful yellow flowers are breathtaking. I loved the ones with the bumblebee, honeybee, and Ailanthus webworm. You are an excellent photographer and true connoisseur of plant life. You captured G-d’s magnificent creation of plant and insect life perfectly. The symbiotic relationship between the goldenrod plant and the insects nesting on its yellow flowers is captured so clearly in your photographs.
    I did see the yellow spider on the flower. Do I get a prize for that discovery? Actually, I do get a prize. It is enjoying your photos in all their glory.

    Reply
  2. Sam Tsalik says

    Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    Well written, beautiful pictures and very educational!

    Reply
  3. Sybil Rhodes says

    Friday, October 14, 2016 at 10:31 am

    Beautiful and thrilling, and so skillfully done. I love the buildup of all the glorious yellows, and then the contrast of a starker scene with just a splash of red.

    Reply
  4. Steven schindler says

    Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 8:54 am

    The goldenrod sounds like an amazing nutrient for so many insects. Great pictures and great use of words.

    Reply
  5. Amy Bisignani says

    Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 7:54 pm

    Absolutely amazing, Svetlana!

    Reply
  6. Laurie Dallos says

    Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 3:21 am

    Exceptional photos and wonderful explanations alike. Thank you for sharing! I’ll look at golden rod more closely now!

    Reply

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