B.C. Columbines and their Pollinators
An article by Vanessa Robinson can be seen on the Kamloops Naturalist website at http://kamloopsnaturalistclub.com/b-c-columbines-and-their-pollinators/
A Wildflower Journal
Exploring the hills and witnessing nature's gifts...
In BC we have three possibly four known species of Aquilegia. The Small flowered Blue Columbine Aquilegia brevistylla grows in The Northern part of our Province Near Prince George area South Along the Rocky Mountains to near Blue river Area look for them in Bothern exposures near Black Spruce and Wghite Spruce forests and From thbeyond Blue river South along the Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain trench to near Sparwood. Mountain trench. The Next species is the Sitka or Western Red Columbine Aquilegia formosa which grows south of Prince George Area And mostly West of Golden and Cranbrook. The Next species is the Yellow Columbine Aquilegia flavescens This Species is quite Common from The Eastern Part of the Similkameen Valley near Olalla up in the Upper MS and Lower ESSF zone on drier Southern facing slopes And through out the Kootneys and Columbian Mountain area East to the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Lastly near Waterton Lakes area and possibly the Crownest Pass Area near the Alberta Border We may have a small beautiful species Aquilegia jonesi the Limestone or Jones’ Columbine. Now the Pollinators for these species are the Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon, the Western, Two tailed, Pale and Canadian Tiger Swallowtails Pterourus rutulus, Pterourus multicaudatus, Pterourus eurymedon, and Pterourus Canadiesis. Also the Parnassius clods or Clodius parnassian will also pollinate this plant especialy As well as several bumblebee or Bombus sp. Species, and Snowberry Hawkmoths which look like Bumble bees. Now many of the Bumble bees since their proboscis or tongue is too short to reach the near in the Columbine spurs these and Queen Hornets, Aerial Yellow Jackets will use their mandibles to make a hole near where the nectar is located in the spurs and steal the nectar with out pollinating the plant. The Earliest bloomers are the Western Red Columbine They can start blooming in Mid May. Where as the Rest in Higher elevations can still be blooming until mid August.
Please Notre that I made some Spelling Errors: What the Word Bothern exposure is suppose to say Northern Exposure in Boreal Forest With White Spruce Picea glauca, and Black Spruce forests South to Blue River area then its ranges South along the East of the Rocky Mountain Trench to Sparwood area. And The Latin name for the Clodius parnassian is parnassus clodius. Next the word next is suppose to say nectar.
I have just provided a link to someone’s article. You can reach her at the Kamloops Naturalist Club.