I tried Asclepias tuberosa, as well. It just sort of gave up the ghost by July. Now that I think about it, it wasn't the healthiest specimen to begin with (had been in its pot way too long) so maybe I'll try it again. Bee plants are spectacular, but I don't currently have enough room for a good stand of 'em. (Maybe a shorter cultivar in a container?)

Today I had a Red Admiral butterfly unexpectedly land on my shirt as I was checking on the plants. He's apparently set up shop in the nettle patch, and is guarding his territory very intently! Really gorgeous little fella.

This is the first week that we've really had much insect activity in the garden; I'm hoping the last few cold snaps didn't set them back too much. I seriously haven't seen a single honeybee this season, which is unusual. At least there's been a few little green sweat bees, and one confused bumble.

I recently learned that Colorado has 946+ bee species in 66 genera -- that's a lotta bees! :)

We've had alot of honey bees, a fair number of bumble bees and the usual wasps but not as many wasps as normal due to the cold weather. I've had trouble cutting my morning chives because they are in flower and the honey bees are enjoying themselves. I've really been enjoying a whole heap of chives on hummus and rice cake drizzled with olive oil. Love starting out the day with chives from the kitchen garden. Yum!

Good list, Laura. Bees go nuts over my Little Trudy catmint.

Thanks Laura, I have lots of spaces to fill in the coming years and want to make sure I keep pollinators in mind.

A few things I have that the bees seem to love:

Catmint

Lambs ear

Burning bush (tiny flowers in the spring)

Thornless honey locust tree - not a "plant" but if anyone wants a cool tree I would highly suggest this one. There are so many bees on it at times it almost sounds like a hive.

Rose of Sharon - I wouldn't necessarily suggest this but it was here when I bought my house and can probably never eradicate it but I swear bees are addicted. The amount of pollen is insane and at times I'm amazed bees can still fly being so loaded down.

I would like to get my hands on some borage, for some reason I never seem to come across any seeds or plants.

I do have some showy milkweed in a corner of my yard but I've yet to see a monarch let alone caterpillars, lots of earwigs though (gross). It grows on its own, not watered other than rain, not much sun (~4 hours), again here when I bought the place. I keep it around just in case but it seems to grow well here.

Oooh, these are great additions to the list! Keep 'em coming...

Nicole -- That's a good point about the Rose of Sharon pollen. When I initially started out planting for pollinators, I was only vaguely aware that bees would prefer some plants for nectar, but others for pollen, and some for both. Here's an interesting list from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pollen_sources

The borage I have is from Botanical Interests. I planted a couple seed packets about nine years ago, and it STILL faithfully reseeds itself without fail every year on both the east and west sides of the fenced backyard. It seems to like the warm rock mulch especially, so I end up transplanting a bunch of seedlings every spring back into the beds.

Deb -- Yeah, they really do love the catmint, don't they? I was a little worried mine had cross pollinated with the true catnip this past season, but the flowers just opened this week and they're still that pretty Walker's blue. (My catnip has white blooms.)

Recent sightings: Mostly small local bees, Painted Admiral butterfly, Painted Lady, Field Checkerspot, a White Striped Black (new to the list) and some variety of cutworm caterpillar (future miller moth...?) that was relocated away from the herb garden seedlings.

Oh, and not a pollinator but I also came across the largest jumping spider I've ever seen on the raspberry canes. About the size of my thumb!

Still no honey bees in the yard, though. It's really weird...

Bees are crazy for Blue crane's bill in my yard and it's a very reliable plant. It is very well behaved, grows in one nice clump unlike the pink bloody crane's bill that I refer to as the garden thug.

Haha I have a "garden thug" pink cranesbill geranium. Have NO idea where it came from.

Blue cranesbill would be nice.

Speaking of blue: yesterday I saw something interesting -- a beautiful Variegated Frillitary butterfly -- and it was laying eggs on the blue flax! I'd no idea this was a host plant for their caterpillars. How cool is that? Good thing I've got a lot of new flax plantlets coming up in case this one gets over-grazed...

I’ve not seen nearly as many insects in my yard as usual this year. Because of the cold spring?

I do see quite a few honeybees but two years ago I could stand still in my yard and hear the buzzing without even bending down. Now it’s nowhere near that. Last year I didn’t have as many bees, but had TONS of wasps. I’m happy to have fewer of them this year. Also many fewer ladybugs this year, which is sad; the aphids seem to be doing fine.

I'm happy to see fewer wasps this year as well, Faith. But they are still here. I have a bee swarm trap in my yard trying to catch a swarm and the only thing I have is a wasp nest. Grrr.

That pink crane's bill aka "thug" would be great for someone how needs a creeping ground cover. It's very easy to dig portions and give them away. I have given away chunks of it.