The shadey hillside is full of purple dots growing among the new leaves. As large bumblebees float effortlessly between all the leaves and thorns of the other plants I scan the landscape for another pollinator that may be hovering among the oddly shaped flowers.
I’ve always thought of larkspur as the American Wolvrsbane. The two species are cousins in the buttercup family and both are extremely toxic. In fact the larkspur is so toxic that just touching the plants can give some people a rash. But for some reason the bumblebees and hummingbirds are immune to the poison. Because of the odd shape of the flower larkspur can only be pollinated by queen bees and hummingbirds. And again we have a native species that is designed to work in conjunction with our native hummingbirds. This is also a native wildflower that has to compete with invaders that hold nothing for the hummingbirds such Garlic Mustard and Japanese Knotweed. Because of the toxicity livestock owners will attempt to eradicate it. And it likes to grow on the edges of the forest so utility companies will spray it with chemical herbicides making it harder for the hummingbirds to find a suitable meal when they arrive. So if you’re not trying to protect livestock or children and have a shady space to raise them why not include larkspur in your native landscaping?
Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.
Announcement 2.0
For those who have been following me on Facebook and know of the struggle content providers have to get circulation from big tech I’ve been recommending for people to adopt MeWe as a social media platform. One of the problems I’ve run into on MeWe is that people don’t know how to navigate the platform. So to help with that I’ve created a permanent page on my website as a basic Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe I’ve tried to anticipate all basic questions there and You can bookmark the page to have as a reference and if you have any questions or suggestions don’t hesitate to contact me. I do still have a day job and I help admin several pages on both platforms so replies might be a little slow but I will answer you.
We also have the Lloyd’s Lens Photography Discussion Group on MeWe that is set up as a fully functional community. There you’ll not only be able to see and connect with me but you can also make your own posts and interact with each other.
I want you to join my group on MeWe: https://mewe.com/join/lloydslensphotographydiscussiongroup
Click the link below to jump to the Basic Beginner’s Guide To MeWe.https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/guide-to-mewe/embed/#?secret=GJGnIQEVHc
Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!
To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.
If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.
https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/embed/#?secret=ZBipPVJdZw
Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?
I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply use the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.
