August Insect Invasion - Japanese beetles and likable fliers

Has it been a more noticeably buggy year in your garden?  Are you seeing more wasps, lady beetles or bumblebees this summer?  If you're answering no then perhaps you're at least seeing some hummingbirds and painted lady butterflies...no as well?  Then surely roly-pollies?

Here in central Denver and the Cahill residence it seems like an insect convention is going on, almost an invasion of flying objects in just about every corner of the garden. We even have plenty of ants - some are fliers. Let me get the worst offender out of the way first (you can search for many of my Japanese beetle blog entries). JBs are still in area gardens and they are hungry and horny. I often hand pick several couples a day right in the middle of their... well you know. 

The likable fliers are really fun to watch this season.  If you read an earlier summer blog you may know that I designed and planted three new beds (still need to write the before and after blog). Anyway, I included many pollinator friendly plants, one bed is mostly Plant Select® plants. Broad-tailed hummingbirds visit at least twice a day finding the agastaches irresistible. The native, honey and bumble bees are flying, feeding and pollinating like there's no hurry to be anywhere soon.

I recently wrote a Denver Post Punch List article on what's flying in the garden. I mentioned paper wasps and the high numbers, at least in my garden. Thank goodness they aren't aggressive stinging types like yellowjackets, but my do they nudge around on so many plants. They must really be hungry!  Sometimes I actually want to say to all the fliers, hey, I'm walking here!  Sound familiar?

It's all good - a humming, buzzing hot summer.