When asked to name your favorite pollinators, most gardeners will quickly rattle off a list that includes honey bees, mason bees, bumbles, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Only one in a hundred will include beetles. In fact most would villify them as major pests. In a gardenFORlife system, however, we understand the interconnectedness of all species and recognize beetles for the vital roles they play.
Beetles not only represent the greatest diversity of pollinators, they also carry the honor of being the oldest pollinators on the planet. 
True beetles were already on the planet during the supercontinent Pangaea 230 million years ago and archealogical studies have found fossilized beetles in amber covered in water lily pollen dating back 100-150 million years. This pre-dates bees by about 30-80 million years!
Flowers that are pollinated by beetles are referred to as cantharophilous, from the Greek kántharos (beetle) and philos (loving). 
These flowers are typically basal angiosperms, characterized by their large, simple, bowl shape, white or dull green color, with multiple stamens and pistils. Most produce a strong, fruity or musky scent that can attract the beetles up to a mile away. Magnolias, laurels, tulip poplars, anise, and pawpaw are examples of cantharophilous flowers common to South Carolina.
Others cantharophilous flowers include our state wildflower, Goldenrod, as well as lantana, milkweed, zinnias, old world roses, coreopsis, sunflowers, and gingers. Although not specific to beetles, they pollinate at much better rates with their help.
The reason beetles get such a bad reputation is because of their method of pollination. Unlike bees and butterflies that gently approach flowers to sip the nectar and cover their bodies in pollen, leaving little trace of their visit, beetles are often the bulls in the china shop. Following the strong scent of the flowers emitted even before it fully opens, beetles often chew through the petals to get to the pollen inside. Once inside, they consume the pollen and defecate into the center of the flower, then roll around in the mix, coating their bodies in rich deposits of both pollen and waste. Scientists theorize that because beetles lack the fuzziness of bees and flies, the mixture of waste and pollen helps it adhere better to their bodies so it can be more easily transported to other flowers. The mixture also serves to coat the beetle in the scent of the flowers they pollinate, further protecting them from predation.
Unfortunately, this method also serves to damage the flower petals which is why most gardeners erroneously assume the beetles are the bad guys. They're really not, They're just very, very messy eaters.
Although there are 30,000 species of beetles in North America, we typically don't notice them until summer when the largest species emerge en masse to munch on your precious fruit, flowers and leaves. Often called June bugs, the large 'pest' beetles such as the Figeater beetle seen here on its namesake, 
the grapevine beetle found on our window screens or the Margined shining 
leaf chaffers skeltonizing rose leaves are not considered major pollinators, although they can accidentally pollinate larger flowers while they are passing through.
The most common beetle pollinators are much smaller and often confused for other true bugs, bees, or wasps.
Soldier beetles pollinate sunflowers, goldenrod, and other showy flowers.
Jewel beetles, like these on display at the Natural History Museum in Paris, are aptly named for their shiny, metallic, often irridescent elytra. They can be found on many asters, zinnias and other native South Carolina wildlflowers as well as hardwoods. These beetles often have bullet shaped bodies and rounded heads. Some of the most collected beetles we have in South Carolina are in this family, including the pesky ash borer, click beetles, and eyed beetles.
Blister beetles like the one at the top of this article captured by Sue Watts of SCBG, closely resemble large ants or wasps, having long bodies and ant-shaped heads. Many are brightly colored depending on the flowers they frequent. These are very common summer pollinators and can be frequently found on the same flower as bees. Studies have found that one species of blister beetle actually lays its eggs inside the host flower so that the hatched larva can hitch a ride home on a visiting bee. Once back in the hive, the larva detaches to feed on the stored pollen inside the baby bee chamber.
At less than 1/4', the tiniest beetles are the Tumbling Flower beetles, so named becuase of their habit of tumbling off the flower head whenever they are disturbed. You can find these on many of our common herbs like parsley and dill, as well as flowers like Queen Anne's lace, dandelion, cat's ear, and spirea.
The Carolina petunia, Ruellia caroliniensis, is native to the southeastern region and grows well in shady nooks where the blue flower lights up the area. An understory area is a perfect place for this plant. It grows to about 18-inches tall and blooms all summer which makes it great for summer pollinating insects. Ruellias, including the Carolina Petunia, are reliable perennials that are generally trouble free in the garden and survive our hot steamy weather as well as our droughts well. Additionally, although they are not deer resistant, they are not as bothered by them as the common petunias are.
The Carolina petunias have flowers that are similar to the annual petunia – they have 5 lobes that meet at the center where they form a tube with the nectar at the base which is perfect for pollinators like butterflies and bees. The Buckeye, Swallowtail and Monarch butterflies are all reported to be attracted to the flowers. The seeds of the flowers form late in summer and are thrown out to create new plants which, over time, creates a delightful patch of blue in the shade garden.
A further native is the R. noctiflora which is a night blooming perennial with a white rather than blue flower. The hawk moth is the most common pollinator for the plant. The native range of this endangered plant is the southern Gulf states – Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida but nearby areas of South Carolina might be able to grow this more unusual, night pollinator plant.
Plantain lilies or as we more commonly know them, Hosta (Agavoideae asparagles) are not native, coming from Japan in the 1880’s, but have acclimated so well to the southeast and the rest of the country that they even have a national society devoted to the care and propagation of this species. These herbaceous perennials are non- invasive and shade- loving and are grown more for their foliage than their flowers. There are about 70 species of hostas and 3000 registered varieties. They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade and fertile soil that has lots of organic matter.
Sweet Pepperbush is a large, native, deciduous shrub that can grow to 8 feet tall and thrives in zones 4-8. As a shade tolerant understory shrub, it grows very well under the canopy of old-growth trees. Native Sweet Pepperbush produces narrow, spike-like creamy white, pink or rose flowers, between July and August, providing great pollination opportunities. Cultivated varieties are available in white, creamy yellow and pink, and often have much larger flower spikes. The flowers hold a scent that recalls honeysuckle, rose, clove and heliotrope. Kevin Lee Jacobs calls the plant “romantic” and the fragrance, “August Perfume”! It is frequently planted as ornamental. The yellow fall color is a standout. Leaves are mid to dark green, and finely to coarsely toothed. They are rarely bothered by deer and not troubled by insects or disease. 
Native from Maine to Florida on the east coast, it is found in the wild in marshes, stream banks and along seashores. Clethra tolerates occasional flooding, actually thriving in wet soil, which makes this a perfect rain garden plant. It is easily grown in a wide range of soil types, including clay soils. Clethra grows best in an acid to neutral soil ranging from around 5.0 to 7.0 on the pH scale. It prefers a consistently moist to wet acidic soil that drains well. It’s best not to let the soil dry out completely. Give plants an occasional deep soaking during drought. Clethra is a light feeder, however, it will benefit from a slow release shrub and tree type fertilizer or organic plant food. It does not require pruning, however responds very well to it. Clethra bloom on new wood so pruning can be done during winter or very early spring without affecting summer bloom. If you are pruning to promote flower growth, cut several inches off the branches at the outer canopy. Winter can cause significant twig dieback, with the tips of older and woodier stems dying and becoming non-productive. Pruning back up to one third of the plant can be a good way to rejuvenate the shrub following a harsh winter. Sweet pepper bush spreads by growing suckers at its base. The suckers increase the width and the mass of the bush as they grow and mature. Cut the suckers back to the ground if you don’t want the plant to spread; leave the suckers if you want bushier growth.
Wild bergamot, aka Bee Balm, Modarda fistulosa is a native perennial in the mint family. Many Native Americans considered wild bergamot to be a medicinal plant for colds. The Blackfoot recognized the plant’s antiseptic action and made poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. Many other native bee balms will also attract pollinators and tolerate light shade.
Editor's Note: One of the best pollinator magnets is wild horsemint, aka spotted bee balm, Monarda Punctata. This species 
The oak leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, is a North America native plant with unique, 4-to12-inch oak-shaped leaves that turn red or purple in the late fall. The panicles are a pyramidal cluster of white blooms that are a good source of pollen and nectar that attracts pollinators. The white fertile flowers that attract “winged things” are 10-12 inches long and bloom in May/June. The white blooms turn pink, red, or purple before they turn brown. This deciduous shrub is upright with an irregular shape and can grow to 5-10 feet tall. It grows in shade to full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained soil in zones 5-9. 
The Eastern Red Columbine, 
