October 4, 2009
Insect Pollinators at Fresh Pond
A Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation Program
The patio gardens at Neville Place, and the meadows beyond, served as an outdoor classroom for investigators who came to learn about and observe the variety of insects that can be found on the flowers at Fresh Pond. While collecting nectar from the flowers, the insects inadvertently help the plants by carrying pollen from one to the other. In these photos, program leader Susan Agger helps a young explorer observe insects with a magnifying lens; indoors, she sets up an artificial flower to demonstrate various methods that insects use to collect nectar.
Insects that were photographed during the program include, from left to right, a Honey Bee (Apis meiilfera), a Two-spotted Bumblebee (Bombus bimaculatus), a Flower Fly (Eristalis transversa), and a sweat Bee (Agapostemon sp.)