Virginia Spiderwort

May 15, 2026

Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) in bloom right now. Such lovely, rich colors! If you look carefully at this photo, you might notice a tiny insect that resembles a bee, gathering pollen and nectar.

Here is a better look at the critter, a Margined Calligrapher Fly (Toxomerus marginatus), a type of Flower Fly. They enjoy the pollen and nectar of Spiderwort flowers. Beneficial insects, their larvae consume aphids and spider mites.

Glad that they’re helping to eliminate those pests!

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.