Photo by Public domain (iNaturalist) on iNaturalist · CC0 (public domain)
PollinatorActive now (September)
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
- When
- May–Sep — May, June, July, August, September. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where to look
- Tubular red and orange flowers — bee balm, salvia, honeysuckle, runner beans.
- How to know it
- Tiny, iridescent green above; the male has a black-looking throat that flares ruby in the right light.
- What it does for you
- The east's only breeding hummingbird. It crosses the Gulf of Mexico non-stop, twice a year, weighing about as much as a nickel.
Found in these regions
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Also active in September
PollinatorMay–OctMonarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Orange with heavy black veins and a white-spotted black border. The caterpillar is banded yellow, white and black.
What it does in the garden →Photo: Christine Young · CC BY 4.0
BeneficialJul–OctPraying mantis
Mantidae
Long green or brown body, triangular head that swivels, and folded raptorial front legs.
What it does in the garden →
PollinatorMar–OctHoney bee
Apis mellifera
Golden-brown, banded, furry thorax, and pollen packed onto the hind legs in visible baskets.
What it does in the garden →