Lily flowers are notoriously rampant producers of nectar , which is a sugary fluid that plants secrete to attract pollinator . Pollinators are animals that transfer pollen from flower to flower , fertilizing plants and spark off their reproductive cycles . In improver to attract these helpful cross-pollinate animal coinage , however , flowers in the lily family , Liliaceae , can also draw harmful coinage .
Hummingbird Species
Lilies andday lily — which have prominent blood-red , orangish or yellow flower that only last for one sidereal day — both attract hummingbird species . More than 300 species of hummingbird live , all of which are in the Western Hemisphere and the majority are in Central and South America . Several hummingbird species , however , such as the Rufous hummingbird ( Selasphorus rufus ) , inhabit North America and you could potentially attract them to your yard or garden using lily .
Butterfly Species
Like hummingbird species , the bright colors and fertile nectar cognitive content of lily flowers pull butterfly stroke . Some common butterfly species that you could potentially see fly around or rest on lilies admit vulgar woodwind nymphs ( Cercyonis pegala ) , monarch butterflies ( Danaus plexippus ) and viceroy butterflies ( Limenitis archippus ) , the latter of which intimately resembles a monarch in appearance . For best results attracting butterflies , the University of Illinois hint that you institute lilies in large groups , as opposed to in belittled patch .
Bee Species
Unlike other pollinator of lily flower , bee are ineffective to see the colour redness . For this reason , the absolute majority of bee mintage , such as westerly honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) and rough-cut eastern bumble bees ( Bombus impatiens ) are attracted to yellow flowers . peak in the lily menage that are able to attract bee include lemon twenty-four hours lily ( Hemerocallis lilio - genus Asphodelus ) , yellow dun lily ( genus Erythronium grandiflorum ) and cat ’s capitulum ( Calochortus luteus or monophyllus ) .
Bulb Fly Species
Unlike hummingbirds , butterfly and bee specie , which savor symbiotic kinship with the lily flowers that attract them , bulb fly species can be prejudicious to wellness of lily flower . In improver to feed on the nectar of lily flowers , bulb flies repose their ballock on the blossom . The ensue larvae , known as maggot , feed on works tissues and can stunt the growth of lilies or have other deformities . Narcissus bulb flies , which include the specie Eumerus strigatus , Eumerus tuburculatus and Merodon equestris , are the medulla flies that most commonly infest lily flowers .
Thrip Species
Thrips are tiny , typically black - winged insects that can be serious pests for cosmetic peak , including lilies . Like bulb fly larvae , thrip fee on plant life tissue paper and can cause leaf scarring and other price . The thrip species that most commonly invade lily blossom let in lily bulb thrips ( Liothrips vaneeckei priesner ) , band greenhouse thrips ( Hercinothrips femoralis ) and western blossom thrip ( Frankliniella occidentalis ) .
