Join us today as we speak with Judy Cardin about the best plants to grow in your garden for attracting bumblebees. Her plant recommendations: Dutchman's Breeches; Virginia Bluebells; Giant Lavender Hyssop; Giant Yellow Hyssop; Joe Pye Weed; Culver's Root; Thistle; Great Blue Lobelia; Bottle Gentian; Asters; Goldenrod; Virginia Waterleaf; Jacob's Ladder; Wild Geranium; Wld Bergamot; Mountain Mint; Anise Hyssop. Shrub recommendations: American Plum; Dwarfbush Honeysuckle; Shrubby St. Johnswort; Lead Plant; and New Jersey Tea. We also discuss the concern about the vanishing Rusty-Patched bumblebee. Judy Cardin is a bumble bee expert and educator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's community science program Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade. When Judy retired as Bureau Director with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 7 years ago, she transitioned her 50 year passion for nature and gardening into her retirement career: sharing her knowledge of bumble bees, how to restore yard and community spaces to native habitat that will support native wildlife, in particular bumble bees and pollinators. She has trained a wide range of audiences, including Master Gardener and Master Naturalist classes, school teachers, and the PBS Garden expo. Judy is also the administrator of the Wisconsin/Midwest Bumble Bee Observers Facebook page.
Educator, WDNR Bumble Bee Brigade Citizen Science Program
UW-Madison Arboretum volunteer, mentored on native plants by Susan Carpenter, Arboretum Native Plant Curator
Chair, Friends of the UW-Madison Arboretum Grass to Garden Program, Co-chair FOA Native Plant Sale
Wild Ones Native Plant Certification Instructor
Converted her urban yard to over 350 native plant species and 25,000 native plants.
She is a Bee surveyor: conducted hundreds of surveys for Bumble Bee Brigade, UW
Arboretum, and the USGS. Contributing author, Nature Magazine research article on finding Rusty patched bumble bees:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-46861-8
Author "Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Floral Phenology" https://online.flippingbook.com/view/810946527/
Administrator, Wisconsin/Midwest Bumble Bee Observers Facebook page.
Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.