Larson’s Garden Center and Landscaping

 

“Creating Landscapes That Welcome Pollinators”
Monarch butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds, and other beneficial wildlife thrive in thoughtfully designed gardens filled with nectar-rich plants and season-long blooms.

🦋 Black Swallowtail (adult and caterpillar)
🦋 American Lady
🦋 Silver-spotted Skipper
🐝 Bumble Bee
🪰 Lacewing
🕷️ Orb-weaver Spider
🙏 Praying Mantis
🐛 Tussock Moth Caterpillar
🐉 Meadowhawk Dragonfly
🐉 Widow Skimmer Dragonfly

Monarch Butterfly found its way to our Milkweeds
Monarch Butterfly found its way to our Milkweeds
Monarch Butterfly going through its birthi g process
Larsons Garden Center and Landscaping

🦋 The “All-Stars” (High Impact, Low Effort)

Pollinator guidance

These plants are the foundation of a CT pollinator garden

Wildlife of our Landscapes

Click on each image to see it fully without description

Dragon fly on a dried day liky
Praying Mantis
Need to identify
Lacewing
Skipper butterfly
Skipper Butterfly
Common Eastern Bumble bee
That’s a tussock moth caterpillar, most likely a White-Marked Tussock Moth caterpillar
Thats a tussock moth caterpillar most likely a White Marked Tussock Moth caterpillar
This is a dragonfly, and based on the red abdomen and the dark patches near the tips of all four wings, it is likely a Meadowhawk dragonfly
This is a dragonfly and based on the red abdomen and the dark patches near the tips of all four wings it is likely a Meadowhawk dragonfly
America Lady Butterfly
orb-weaver spider, likely a Furrow Orb-weaver
orb weaver spider likely a Furrow Orb weaver
This is a Praying Mantis, most likely a Chinese Mantis (Chinese Mantis), which is very common throughout Connecticut.
This is a Praying Mantis most likely a Chinese Mantis Chinese Mantis which is very common throughout Connecticut
Dragon fly
This is a dragonfly and the amber yellow patches at the base of the wings are a strong clue that it belongs to the genus Meadowhawk or a closely related skimmer dragonfly
Dragonfly — Natural Mosquito Control Dragonflies are important predators that help keep mosquito and flying insect populations in check throughout the landscape.
Dragonfly Natural Mosquito Control

Dragonflies are important predators that help keep mosquito and flying insect populations in check throughout the landscape
Black Swallowtail on Blazing Star Our landscapes don’t just look beautiful—they provide habitat and food sources for pollinators and beneficial wildlife.
Black Swallowtail on Blazing Star

Our landscapes dont just look beautifulthey provide habitat and food sources for pollinators and beneficial wildlife
This is a Black Swallowtail caterpillar (Black Swallowtail) — and it is likely the caterpillar of the butterfly you photographed earlier!
This is a Black Swallowtail caterpillar Black Swallowtail and it is likely the caterpillar of the butterfly you photographed earlier
This is a Widow Skimmer dragonfly (Widow Skimmer), and it’s one of the easiest dragonflies to identify in North America.
This is a Widow Skimmer dragonfly Widow Skimmer and its one of the easiest dragonflies to identify in North America
It appears to be a bagworm caterpillar
The caterpillar lives inside a portable case it builds from twigs needles bark leaves and silk
Only the head and a few front legs stick out while it crawls
The pinecone or bundle of sticks appearance is classic bagworm camouflage
Monarch Butterfly
Creating Landscapes That Welcome Pollinators
Monarch butterflies native bees hummingbirds and other beneficial wildlife thrive in thoughtfully designed gardens filled with nectar rich plants and season long blooms
Green frog
The Moustache They often have that bright green coloring concentrated right around their upper lip and head while the rest of their body transitions into a mottled brown or bronze
Dorsolateral Ridges If you look closely at its back you can see two distinct ridges folds of skin running down the sides of its upper body On a Green Frog these ridges go all the way down the back which helps distinguish them from American Bullfrogs whose ridges wrap tightly around the ear drum instead
They absolutely love hanging out near the edges of ponds water features or damp shaded garden beds
Green frog
The Moustache They often have that bright green coloring concentrated right around their upper lip and head while the rest of their body transitions into a mottled brown or bronze
Dorsolateral Ridges If you look closely at its back you can see two distinct ridges folds of skin running down the sides of its upper body On a Green Frog these ridges go all the way down the back which helps distinguish them from American Bullfrogs whose ridges wrap tightly around the ear drum instead
They absolutely love hanging out near the edges of ponds water features or damp shaded garden beds
Meadowhawk dragonfly
Dragon fly
Monarch Butterfly found its way to our Milkweeds
Monarch Butterfly found its way to our Milkweeds
Monarch Butterfly going through its birthi g process
Larsons Garden Center and Landscaping

🍃 Host Plants: The “Caterpillar Cafeteria”

If you want butterflies, you have to feed their “babies.”

• Milkweed (Common or Swamp): The only food source for Monarch caterpillars. Swamp Milkweed is great if you have a damp spot in your yard.

• Golden Alexanders: A beautiful spring bloomer that serves as a host for Black Swallowtail butterflies.

• Highbush Blueberry: A double-win. It provides early spring nectar for bees, hosts several butterfly species, and gives you (and the birds) berries in July.

🛠️ The 3-Step Success Guide for CT

1. The “Bloom Relay”

Pollinators need food all season. Aim for at least one plant in each “heat”:

• Spring: Wild Geranium or Pussy Willow (essential for early-emerging bees).

• Summer: Coneflowers, Milkweed, and Joe Pye Weed.

• Fall: Asters and Goldenrod.

2. “Pardon the Mess” (Nesting)

Many of CT’s 300+ native bee species nest in the ground or in hollow stems.

• Leave the leaves: Wait until spring temperatures are consistently above 50°F before doing your garden cleanup. This protects hibernating “good bugs.”

• Stem-heading: When you trim your plants in spring, leave 8–12 inches of the old hollow stalks standing; solitary bees will use them as “apartments” for their larvae.

  1. Skip the Chemicals

Pollinators are insects! Even “organic” pesticides can be lethal to bees and butterflies. If you plant a diverse mix, “predatory insects” (like ladybugs) will eventually move in to handle the pests for you.

Butterfly on a butterfly bush blossom
Butterfly on butterfly blossom bush
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Butterfly landing on flowers
A close-up view of a yellow and black butterfly perched on green leaves.
A black butterfly with white spots resting on vibrant purple flowers, surrounded by greenery.
Close-up of a bee on a vibrant pink flower.
A close-up of a green praying mantis resting on a leaf surrounded by other green foliage, with droplets of water on the leaves.
A butterfly resting on a vibrant orange flower with curving petals, surrounded by green foliage.
A monarch butterfly resting on violet flowers with a clear blue sky in the background.