Feeds on a variety of flowers, including bluebells, penstemons, and food crops
Habitat
Parks, gardens, fields, and meadows
Interesting facts
Females chew holes in dead trees, logs, or stumps to make nests. They resemble bumble bees but can be distinguished by their shiny abdomen.
The male bee is unable to sting because the stinger is simply a modified ovipositor (which males lack by definition), though they will commonly approach human beings and buzz loudly around them or fly close to them.
Eastern Carpenter Bees use their maxillae to penetrate the corolla of plants and reach the nectar stores, a behavior known as nectar robbing. This happens when the bee pierces the corollas of long-tubed flowers, thus accessing nectar without making contact with the anthers and bypassing pollination. In some plants this reduces fruit production and seed number.
Learn more about the Eastern Carpenter Bee at iNaturalist
The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive pest that was first found in the northeast in 2014 and was confirmed as found in NYC in Manhattan in the latter half of 2019. Since that initial sighting they have been found in many places in Manhattan and other boroughs, unfortunately. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the state Department of Agriculture & Markets are conducting surveys currently via inspections. It is important that people report sightings of the SLF as well as their egg masses to spottedlanternfly@agriculture.ny.gov or by filing a Spotted Lanternfly Public Report with the Department of Agriculture & Markets.
The attached fact sheet can help you identify the Spotted Lanternfly and its egg cases. All sightings should be reported, and the insects themselves should be placed in a baggie or jar to be suffocated so that a DEC or NYSDAM rep. can collect it. For egg masses, a small sample should be scraped into a zip-lock bag and sealed. The remainder of the egg mass should be put in a baggie and doused with alcohol or hand sanitizer and then discarded.
It is with great sadness that we learned of Cindy’s passing. And as we sent our deep condolences to her loved ones, family and friends we wanted to share how much Cindy meant to us. And if you did not get a chance to know her we hope you will visit some of the spaces she influenced and think of her and her wonderful circle of friends. Read more about her life here: legacy.com
A Celebration of Life was held in the fall of 2023 in Brooklyn.
Words of Remembrance by NYC Pollinators Member and iDig2Learn, founder, Christina Delfico
Celebrating Cindy Goulder is easy to do. Friendly, kind, interested and generous with her vast ecological horticultural knowledge – meeting Cindy made you think, “Why, hadn’t I known her sooner?”.
So many of us have our Cindy stories and felt she was ours alone to enjoy – that’s how she made us feel.
The real story is that countless people were influenced by her and dozens of parks, private and public space landscapes bear witness to her touch, shaped by a deep understanding of how all living things depend on their natural surroundings. You just wouldn’t know it, she was not the boast-y type.
We met at Plant-o-Rama at Brooklyn Botanical Garden as we walked from the Metro Hort sponsored event between the garden’s library and the visitor’s center to hear, what else, a talk on plants and garden designs. Along the walk small talk about the conference led to sensing she might agree to do a lecture for us, there was a catch though since it was the height of the pandemic we would have to figure out the technology to host it as our first virtual session to an audience, she said sure.
As a member of the NYC Working Pollinator Group, an organization which supports planting for pollinators to restore lost habitat, we were meeting on Zoom. Cindy visually arrived in her home, with a cup of tea surrounded by house plants in a cozy jungle inviting us to think how nice it would be to have a visit with her there.
I recall once going on and on about butterflies and how I had heard a lecture from Don Riepe on his work at the Parks department ages ago creating very neat meadow spaces that mimicked a natural landscape and thought he was impressive. Cindy leaned in and said he’s my boyfriend in a whisper – of course, that made sense.
Professionally, Cindy Goulder helped in the selection of native plants for the Brooklyn Bridge Park which includes acres of land for the public to enjoy from meadow, to marsh to shoreline and more traditional park space.
Words of remembrance from NYC Pollinators Members:
“Cindy was amazing. She fought the good fight. She was a big part of why Brooklyn Bridge Park is filled with native plants and advocated strongly for bird window protections. She helped me get supplies for public school gardens. She really left a mark on this city. If there is a movement to commemorate all of her work, I’d love to help support it.” – Rebecca McMackin
“She worked with us in redesigning the native plant garden in Lentol Garden. A very talented and dedicated person. She will be missed. My deepest sympathies to Don and her family.”– Mary / Dr. Mary J. Leou
“She was a great participant of the Education and Outreach committee and a gardening champion at Poplar Street Community Garden. She would be happy to know that the beautiful German irises, Stachys and Sedum she gave me from her garden continue to thrive in tree beds on my street (and some on my roof too since I divided them up). I will think of her every time I see them bloom.” – Jennifer Nitzky
Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved any way you like! Popular events include planting for pollinators, hosting garden tours, participating in online bee and butterfly ID workshops, and so much more.
This Pollinator Week we will be emphasizing the connections between climate and pollinators. Pollinators are dying because their food and homes are disappearing, diseases have increased, and rising temperatures and natural disasters are affecting their ability to survive – all of which are related to climate change. At the same time, the conservation of pollinators and their habitats can help combat climate change by supporting healthy ecosystems, air, soil, water, and plants. Combined, these results make planet earth a safer place for us to live. These are big problems and the efforts that are made around North America and globally during Pollinator Week can help provide real solutions for the pollinators we all love.
