Honeysuckle Bush in the Wild

• By admin
• Posted in Plants
• On June 22, 2013
• 3 Comments.

Lonicera tatarica.
Tartarian Honeysuckle.
Honeysuckle family: Caprifoliaceae

I recently photographed this pretty honeysuckle shrub growing in Canadian Shield lake country, in the Whiteshell region, close to the water. It was growing at the front of a cottage property, but was growing wild, beyond the cultivated gardens closer to the cottage. It was late afternoon when I arrived at the lake, and what drew me over to the neighbouring cottage lot was the flight of some swallowtail butterflies. (I didn’t know what they were called at that moment – but the cottage owner brought out a reference guide and we looked up the name.)

Butterflies are often difficult to shoot on camera; I find that they behave somewhat like birds do, flying away when there is movement nearby. There were four of these lovely butterflies feeding on the honeysuckle shrub. The next morning, the shrub was the main feeding plant in the vicinity for bees, wasps, and other bee-like creatures (very impressive looking large bees with great big antennae) as well as the butterflies.

I was surprised later, in researching the type of shrub that I had photographed, to learn that Lonicera tatarica, or Tartarian Honeysuckle, is considered an aggressively invasive species in North America. The shrub is of Asian origin, brought to North American gardens in the 1800s, so I’ve read, and its seed has travelled with the birds, allowing the shrub to establish itself in wilderness areas. It has the unfortunate habit of choking out other plants, and taking over an area.

This particular specimen that I photographed was tall and established, and popular as a source of food for the bees and butterflies. The blossoms are very lovely, with attractive, light pink petals, and the shrub was a cheerful addition to the dark green landscape of jack pines and poplars along the lakeside and the cottage lane. It was pleasant to sit and watch the visitors to this shrub, and, after waiting patiently, to see the swallowtail butterflies take their turns drinking in the sweet nectar of the honeysuckle bush.

Photo: NK
Text and photo copyright: cookiebuxton.com