You’ll see many different types of bees here in the old field. There are 416 bee species living in New York. Old fields such as this one provide nesting and foraging habitats for native bees, which generally are solitary and do not sting. Bees are extremely important to our food systems, as they work to pollinate a variety of crops including apples, blueberries, squash, tomatoes and much more. Butterflies are also important and beautiful pollinators. Many butterfly caterpillars only feed on one or two specific types of plants. A common example of this is the monarch caterpillar, which only feeds on milkweed. If you look closely you may find some caterpillars on milkweed plants here. Pollinator populations are declining so it is important to maintain habitats that provide shelter and food and to plant native plants that attract them.
Birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles also use old fields throughout their lifetimes. Check out the sign here to learn even more!