Table 5. Average Number of Insect Types that Visited Each Genera of Plant (Diversity)
Ranking Genus Species Cultivar Common Name 2012 2013 2014 Average
1 Solidago rigida stiff goldenrod 24 22 19 21.7
2 Pycnanthemum muticum clustered mountain mint 23 24 18 21.7
3 Eupatorium hyssopifolium thoroughwort 17 18 11 15.3
4 Eryngium yuccifolium rattlesnake master 16 13 13 14.0
5 Eutrochium fistulosum 'Bartered Bride' spotted joe pye 12 15 14 13.7
6 Coreopsis tripteris tall tickseed 15 13 13 13.7
7 Helianthus divaricatus woodland sunflower 14 14 12 13.3
8 Symphyotrichum laeve smooth aster 22 7 10 13.0
9 Eutrochium maculatum spotted joe pye 18 12 9 13.0
10 Helenium autumnale Helen's flower 17 12 10 13.0
11 Eutrochium fistulosum hollow joe pye 16 14 9 13.0
12 Solidago nemoralis gray goldenrod 19 9 10 12.7
13 Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' rough goldenrod 16 8 13 12.3
14 Pycnanthemum flexuosum Appalchian mountain mint 15 14 8 12.3
15 Helianthus decapetalus thinleaf sunflower 13 12 12 12.3
16 Liatris microcephala dwarf blazing star 13 12 12 12.3
17 Asclepias incarnata swamp milkweed 18 14 4 12.0
18 Eupatorium perfoliatum boneset 19 8 8 11.7
19 Physostegia virginiana obedient plant 9 12 14 11.7
20 Eutrochium purpureum
subsp.maculatum
'Gateway' sweet joe pye 16 12 6 11.3

Additional Plants

Ranking Genus Species Cultivar Common Name 2012 2013 2014 Average
Heliopsis helianthoides 'Summer Sun' smooth oxeye 16 13 5 11.3
Monarda fistulosa wild bergamot 12 14 8 11.3
Conoclinium coelestinum mist flower 16 13 2 10.3
Veronicastrum virginicum culver's root 11 14 5 10.0
Liatris spicata blazing star 10 14 4 9.3
Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' bluebird smooth aster 8 7 12 9.0
Helianthus x multiflorus 'Capenoch Star' many flowered sunflower 16 6 3 8.3

Dr. E. Jay Holcomb, Connie Schmotzer. Penn State Extension, Bees, Bugs, Blooms, July 2015. cxs51@psu.edu