POLLINATOR HABITAT GARDEN
Habitat Restoration
The Riverine Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists has partnered with Friends of Bandy Field Nature Park to bring a habitat garden to Bandy Field.
The map shows the location (click to enlarge).
Sleepy Orange butterfly
Look close! Not all the bumblebees you see at the park are alike, and one is a threatened species.
Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens). The most commonly seen bumblebee in the area. Most are about 1/2" long. Seen from early spring to the end of the flowering season. Easiest to identify by the single yellow hair band on the first abdominal (nearest to the thorax) segment.
Two-spotted Bumblebee (Bombus bimaculatus). The earliest emerging Bumblebee in the area, though most are gone by August. Most are about 1/2" long. They have a yellow hair band on the first abdominal segment (also called tergal segment or T1), and two tufts of yellow hair in the center of the the second abdominal segment (T2), roughly appearing like two spots.
Brown-belted Bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis). Emerges in mid-spring and seen until early fall. Most are about 1/2"-3/4" long. They have a yellow hair band on the first abdominal segment (T1) and central brown patch on the second segment (T2).
American Bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus). This Bumblebee is under federal review for listing as an endangered species. In VA, it is currently listed as "a species of highest conservation concern" that needs "intense and immediate" attention. They have been spotted at the Habitat garden and are easily recognizable by the yellow hair bands on the first three (in workers) or four (in males, like the one shown) abdominal segments.
Here is what is buzzing and blooming in the habitat garden July 2025
Monarch butterfly on a false sunflower (courtesy of Jim Easton)
Monarch butterfly on Joe Pye weed (courtesy of Jim Easton)
Oblique streaktail hoverfly (Allograpta obliqua, courtesy of Dana Blackmer)
Southern bronze furrow bee (Halictus confusus, courtesy of Dana Blackmer)
Silver spotted skipper on wild bergamot (courtesy of Jim Easton)
Horace's duskywing on Blunt mountain mint (courtesy of Jim Easton)
Here is what is buzzing and blooming in the habitat garden May and June 2025 (photos courtesy of Dana Blackmer)
Mist Flower
Monarch caterpillar (3rd Instar stage)
Bicolored striped sweat bee (Agapostomon virescens)
Eastern tailed blue butterfly (Cupido comyntas)
Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Lacewing
Sweat bee (Lassio glossum)
Common green bottle fly (Lucillia secicata)
The pictures below illustrate some of the work undertaken to prepare the area and install the plants.
The Habitat Garden lies between the Pine Forest and the site of the last home on Bandy Field where today a wooden bench is framed by two very old trees, a black walnut and a mulberry.
November 2023 Volunteer Day. To smother the grass and seed bank in the area, volunteers hauled 30 yards of wood chips to cover the area to a depth of one foot. Decomposing chips improved the soil.
Fall equinox work day, September 21, 2024. Removal of mulch begins in preparation for planting.
October 11, 2024. Volunteers laid out the pots in preparation for planting day.
October 12, 2024. A host of volunteers came to help with planting.
Over 200 perennials, 150 native grass plugs and 100 native strawberry plugs were planted. Some plants were donated, but FOBFNP paid for most plants and other costs with a total expenditure of $1,800.
Pollinators began to arrive on the day of planting. Here are two mating hoverflies on an aster.
Red-Spotted Purple butterfly resting on the wood chips in the habitat garden.