Monarda L.

Monarda is a genus in the mint family (Lamiaceae).  It contains 16 species, all endemic to eastern North America, and closely related to the pagoda plants (genus Blephilia) and the mountain mints (genus Pycnanthemum). Commonly known as the bee balms, Oswego Tea, Monarda, Bergamot, and Horsemint, the genus is named for 16^th century Spanish horticulturalist Nicolas Monardes.  The red, pink, purple tubular flowers attract bee, butterfly and hummingbird pollinators, and the genus is commonly cultivated for gardens and landscapes; most cultivars are crosses between M. didyma and M. fistulosa.  Native American tribes used Monarda species (especially didyma and fistulosa) for a variety of medicinal properties, notably as antiseptics, and for seasoning food. 

Monarda species are fast growers, typically reaching up to 2.5-3 feet (75-90 cm) tall.  Some species are perennial, some annual.  Like most mints, Monarda species have four-sided stems with sides separated by discrete angles.  Though popular garden plants, Monarda species can be invasive and most are highly susceptible to powdery mildew, although some varieties have been bred for resistance to this pest.  

(Hawk 1998; Perry, date unknown; Prather et al. 2002; Wikipedia 2014)

Monarda sp. (Bee Balm)
(beetle activity is unspecified; information is limited; observations are from Lisberg & Young)

Beetles
Mordellidae: Hoshihananomia octopunctata (LY), Mordella quadripunctata (LY)

Bee Balm has naturalized in only a few counties in Illinois and is relatively uncommon in the wild (see Distribution Map). However, it is often grown in flower gardens. Bee Balm is native to the Northeastern states, but its original range did not extend as far to the west as Illinois. Habitats include moist open woodlands, woodland borders, thickets, meadows in floodplain areas, and waste areas.

The nectar of the flowers attracts hummingbirds, Swallowtail butterflies, and probably bumblebees. The caterpillars of various moths feed on Monarda spp., including Agriopodes teratophora (The Gray Marvel), Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx), and Pyrausta orphisalis (Pyralid Moth sp.). The aromatic foliage of Bee Balm is disagreeable to mammalian herbivores and it is rarely eaten. Photographic Location