In five years, the author’s knowledge of North American bee species has expanded from three to over 40, highlighting the significance of native bees in pollination. Unlike honeybees, most native bees are solitary and gentle, playing crucial roles in supporting local ecosystems and enhancing crop yields through efficient pollination.

“In all, I recorded a whopping 33 different insect species on this plant! From bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, moths, wasps, and other bugs, I was continually astounded at the vast variety of insects utilizing this clearly important native plant.“ When we first moved to our…

We cannot overstate the importance of these inadvertent meadows in powerline right-of-ways in providing critical habitat to support butterflies, as well as native bees and other important insects. Because we typically view powerline corridors as common and unsightly, we overlook the beauty they hold at a more detailed scale, and more importantly, underestimate their potential as native species corridors.