I started taking the below photos last summer in hopes of spotting a honey bee. I kept going back to my  Spotted Bee Balm aka Spotted Horsemint aka Dotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata) that is slowly taking over the back yard. This year I got my bee photos, and in the process noticed a lot of other winged creatures stopping for lunch.

We don’t use pesticides on our plants, so we have more visitors – good and bad.

Spotted Bee Balm is now in bloom, you can see it on roadsides and disturbed areas. It tends to spread so if you want to add it to your garden be prepared to share it with friends and neighbors after it gets established and seeds. Spotted Bee Balm likes full sun, but tolerates partial shade, especially in the lower south, it is also drought tolerant. It it is very tolerant of salt spray and partial to sandy soil making it great for Flagler Beach yards.

While taking these pictures I for once was bothering the bees.

For more information go to: www.floridata.com/ref/m/mona_pun.cfm