Nature Notes by Marlene A. Condon
November 5, 2024
From late summer until fall, goldenrods brighten the countryside with deep-yellow flowers that almost seem to glow in the sunlight. Because these native plants can be up to six feet tall, very few people grow them in their gardens, thinking of them as “weeds.” However, you may want to find a field of goldenrods to gather seeds and enjoy these plants in your yard. And now is the perfect time.
There are at least 100 species of goldenrods, and they can be challenging to tell apart. However, it does not matter whether you can identify each specific plant. All these plants share beautiful characteristics that make any of them suitable for the garden — especially for the wildlife garden.
The most valuable service that goldenrods provide is feeding many kinds of insects. The numerous flowers on each stem produce large quantities of nectar. Observe a goldenrod up close, and some of the insects you will see feasting on this sugary substance are honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, many kinds of wasps, and Monarch butterflies.
Many of the insects you notice will die with the coming of cold weather, but the Monarchs are traveling south to escape the certain death that winter will bring to them. These beautiful creatures need energy to keep moving, and goldenrods are a vital source of nourishment. Indeed, for this reason alone, goldenrods are extremely precious plants to cultivate in your yard.
Goldenrod flowers make pollen so they can reproduce themselves, but not all pollen is used for fertilization. Animals, such as soldier beetles, eat some of this protein-rich substance. There are many species of soldier beetles, so named because some species have bright colors that make people think of old military uniforms. There are 4,000 species of soldier beetles worldwide and 468 in North America.
One soldier beetle that is often found on goldenrod is the Goldenrod, or Common, Soldier Beetle. It has orange wing covers that are about one-half black. If you need a reason for wanting to entice Goldenrod Soldier Beetles to your yard, their larvae are predators of other insects, which helps keep their populations at sustainable levels.
If you see Goldenrod Soldier Beetles mating (from August through September and sometimes later), you can rest assured that you will have allies the following year, helping you to avoid the use of pesticides in your garden. Goldenrod Soldier Beetles can be found on a variety of plants, but they are especially noticeable on goldenrod.
If you look very carefully at the goldenrod flowers, you will undoubtedly find other predatory creatures. Crab spiders and daddy longlegs seek out meals by preying upon the insects that visit for nectar or pollen. Ambush and assassin bugs lie in wait for other insects, just as their names suggest.
The goldenrod flowers are the site of much activity. Indeed, the entire plant functions as a cafeteria for a whole host of creatures that visit for a meal.
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