{"id":17020,"date":"2026-04-08T11:36:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:36:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/?p=17020"},"modified":"2026-04-08T11:37:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:37:45","slug":"pussy-willow-pollinators-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/bug-of-the-week\/pussy-willow-pollinators-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Pussy willow Pollinators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Salutations, BugFans,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>2026<\/u><\/strong>: The pussy willows near the BugLady\u2019s lakeshore home are in bloom.\u00a0Here\u2019s a BOTW about pussy willows from late March of 2012 \u2013 a few new words and pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><u>2012:<\/u>\u00a0<\/strong>People get excited when pussy willows whisper the spring.\u00a0The BugLady loves skulking among them when they\u2019re blooming, ogling the diversity of insects that come to visit when very few other flowers are out.\u00a0Willows are\u00a0<em>dioecious<\/em>\u00a0(<em>separate house<\/em>), bearing their male and female flowers on separate plants.\u00a0The gray, fuzzy buds are future male flowers that will morph into catkins bearing long, slender filaments (pollen-producing stamens).\u00a0The thicker, \u201ccaterpillar-like\u201d flowers \u2013 fleshier stalks with what looks like a tiny flower at the tip, are future female catkins and seeds.\u00a0Pussy willow (<em>Salix discolor<\/em>), which is a prodigious pollen producer, is almost finished blooming, but other willow species are still in bud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that pollination is an accidental service performed by animals that visit the pussy willows for another purpose altogether \u2013 to perch, to set up housekeeping, to browse an important, early food source (the male flowers produce a little nectar and a lot of pollen, and female flowers supply nectar), or to browse the browsers.\u00a0Mining bees and syrphid flies made up the majority of the insects that the BugLady saw, with flies (blow, flesh, and house) next.\u00a0The BugLady also saw a spring azure butterfly checking out the willow flowers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For all their attractiveness and importance to these early pollinators, pussy willows are largely wind-pollinated.\u00a0Wind-pollinated flowers produce massive amounts of pollen because wind pollination is pretty random.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The BugLady found:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ANTS\u00a0\u2013 Ants become active when the spring sun warms the soil they nest in. If you put all of the people on the globe at one end of a teeter totter and all the ants on the other, our feet would be dangling. There are many kinds of ants with many lifestyles and many diets.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"286\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/ants-p-willow12-2.webp\" alt=\"Ant crawling among willow catkin filaments\" class=\"wp-image-17030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/ants-p-willow12-2.webp 400w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/ants-p-willow12-2-300x215.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>ASCLERA RUFICOLLIS<\/u><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Adult Red-necked false blister beetles feed on early spring flowers in woods and wood edges; their larvae dwell in rotting logs.\u00a0Apparently, despite its name, a crushed false blister beetle produces highly irritating chemicals that will make a (false?) blister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"286\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/asclera-ruficollis12-4.webp\" alt=\"Red-necked beetle dusted with pollen on willow\" class=\"wp-image-17031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/asclera-ruficollis12-4.webp 400w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/asclera-ruficollis12-4-300x215.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>BROWN STINKBUG\u00a0\u2013 Some species of brown stinkbug are vegetarians, but the BugLady thinks that this is one of the predatory stinkbugs.\u00a0The BugLady wonders if the heavy dusting of willow pollen works as an inadvertent disguise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/br-stinkbug12-4rz-1-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Brown stink bug covered in yellow pollen on twig\" class=\"wp-image-17036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/br-stinkbug12-4rz-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/br-stinkbug12-4rz-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/br-stinkbug12-4rz-1.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>CAROPHILUS<\/u><\/em>&nbsp;BEETLE&nbsp;\u2013 A sap beetle \u2013 although most sap beetles are consumers of rotting fruits and vegetables and fungi, some are found on flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/carpophilus-btle12-3-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Small sap beetles inside willow catkin\" class=\"wp-image-17033\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/carpophilus-btle12-3-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/carpophilus-btle12-3-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/carpophilus-btle12-3.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>DISONYCHA<\/u><\/em>\u00a0BEETLE\u00a0\u2013 The very spiffy Striped willow leaf beetle is in the huge leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae.\u00a0Members of the small genus\u00a0<em>Disonycha<\/em>\u00a0(according to one source) mostly eat \u201cweeds.\u201d\u00a0This one eats willow-parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"275\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/disonycha12-3-275x300.webp\" alt=\"Striped leaf beetle on colorful willow catkin\" class=\"wp-image-17035\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/disonycha12-3-275x300.webp 275w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/disonycha12-3.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>GREENBOTTLE FLY\u00a0\u2013 These members of the Blow fly family are listed as carrion feeders. Apparently, this fly was cleansing its palette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"286\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/greenbottle-fly-p-willow09-2-286x300.webp\" alt=\"Green bottle fly on willow flower\" class=\"wp-image-17022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/greenbottle-fly-p-willow09-2-286x300.webp 286w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/greenbottle-fly-p-willow09-2.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 286px) 100vw, 286px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>CYNOMA CADAVERINA<\/u><\/em>&nbsp;\u2013 Another member of the Blow fly family, with a decidedly un-wholesome name, stared at the BugLady from a willow branch. The BugLady moved on down the trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/cynoma-cadaverina12-5-300x215.webp\" alt=\"Cluster fly perched on branch\" class=\"wp-image-17034\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/cynoma-cadaverina12-5-300x215.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/cynoma-cadaverina12-5.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>HONEYBEE\u00a0\u2013 an important \u2013 and imported \u2013 pollinator, honeybees are on the landscape starting in late winter and early spring.\u00a0Bees foraging for pollen near wetlands may warm up within the insulated comfort of a skunk cabbage spathe, which may be 30 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/honeybee12-3-300x215.webp\" alt=\"Honeybee collecting nectar from willow bloom\" class=\"wp-image-17023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/honeybee12-3-300x215.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/honeybee12-3.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>MINING BEE\u00a0\u2013 Mining bees are a mainly solitary bunch of bees; females stock brood cells with pollen and nectar for their emerging young.\u00a0They are important early, native pollinators.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/mining-bee12-8rz-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Pollen-covered mining bee on yellow willow flowers\" class=\"wp-image-17025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/mining-bee12-8rz-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/mining-bee12-8rz-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/mining-bee12-8rz.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SWEAT BEE&nbsp;\u2013 Sweat bees collect prodigious loads of pollen and transport it to their underground nests. Most are solitary; a few are marginally social.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/sweat-bee12-1-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Metallic green sweat bee on willow catkin\" class=\"wp-image-17027\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/sweat-bee12-1-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/sweat-bee12-1-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/sweat-bee12-1.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SYRPHID FLY&nbsp;\u2013 Syrphid\/Hover\/Flower flies are bee mimics that feed on nectar and pollen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/syrphid12-5-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Hoverfly feeding on willow flower\" class=\"wp-image-17028\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/syrphid12-5-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/syrphid12-5-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/syrphid12-5.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SPOOKY TACHINID\u00a0(probably) \u2013 Tachinid flies have an ulterior motive.\u00a0They lay eggs, or sometimes live young, on flowers so that their young may board another insect and become a parasitoid.\u00a0The BugLady thought this ghost-colored tachinid was a bit creepy-looking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/tachinid09-1rz-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Tachinid fly resting on willow bud\" class=\"wp-image-17029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/tachinid09-1rz-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/tachinid09-1rz-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/tachinid09-1rz.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>NOMADA<\/u><\/em>&nbsp;WASP&nbsp;\u2013 The BugLady is amazed at the antennae on this&nbsp;<em>Nomada<\/em>&nbsp;wasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/nomada-wasp-p-willow12-1b-300x300.webp\" alt=\"Nomada cuckoo wasp on willow blossoms\" class=\"wp-image-17026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/nomada-wasp-p-willow12-1b-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/nomada-wasp-p-willow12-1b-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/nomada-wasp-p-willow12-1b.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>EUROPEAN PAPER WASP&nbsp;\u2013 Negotiating the thicket of flower parts on the male flower must be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"aligncenter uwm-c-img--center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/Eu-paper-wasp-p-willow12-3rz-300x215.webp\" alt=\"Paper wasp feeding on willow catkins\" class=\"wp-image-17021\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/Eu-paper-wasp-p-willow12-3rz-300x215.webp 300w, https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/380\/2026\/04\/Eu-paper-wasp-p-willow12-3rz.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Go outside and watch the willows!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The BugLady<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-post_tag wp-block-post-terms\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/ants\/\" rel=\"tag\">Ants<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/bugs\/\" rel=\"tag\">bugs<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/flies\/\" rel=\"tag\">Flies<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/mining-bees\/\" rel=\"tag\">mining bees<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/native-bees\/\" rel=\"tag\">Native Bees<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/paper-wasps\/\" rel=\"tag\">paper wasps<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/pollinators\/\" rel=\"tag\">pollinators<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/sweat-bees\/\" rel=\"tag\">sweat bees<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/tag\/wasps\/\" rel=\"tag\">Wasps<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Salutations, BugFans, 2026: The pussy willows near the BugLady\u2019s lakeshore home are in bloom.\u00a0Here\u2019s a BOTW about pussy willows from late March of 2012 \u2013 a few new words and pictures. 2012:\u00a0People get excited when pussy willows whisper the spring.\u00a0The &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38860,"featured_media":17024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[8],"tags":[127,607,80,1009,901,1011,587,1010,91],"class_list":["post-17020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bug-of-the-week","tag-ants","tag-bugs","tag-flies","tag-mining-bees","tag-native-bees","tag-paper-wasps","tag-pollinators","tag-sweat-bees","tag-wasps"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Field Station<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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