Scientific name: Antheraea polyphemus.
The polyphemus moth is easy to spot with its striking eyespots on both fore and hind wings. The hind wings’ eye spots are large, with yellow as the primary color and black-white strings. 

The forewings spots are also yellow but smaller in size. It has a wingspan of 15cm. Their wings are not just widely spread but are also colorful with red, grey, and brown shades. It gets its name from the cyclops in Greek mythology called Polyphemus because of its sizeable solitary eyespot in the middle of its hind wings.

Scientific name: Pyrrharctia isabella.
This is another species of moth that can be classified as one of the cute moths. It’s notable for its multi-colored larvae with black-brown-red segments. People also know this as the banded woolly bear. 

The adult moth has a pale yellow, scaly body and orange-yellow wings with a marked forewing. Woolly bears are endemic to the Southern United States of America and Canada.

Scientific name: Manduca quinquemaculata.
This moth is a part of the hawkmoth group, meaning that it’s relatively large with a long proboscis. The five spotted hawkmoths are the Sphingidae family's brown and grey hawk moth. It’s a threat to all Solanaceae plant family crops, including tomato, tobacco, potato, and pepper. 

They are a major pest in gardens. They get their name from the raising of their posterior end and their use of tomatoes as host plants.

Scientific name: Cydia pomonella.
The codling moth has a wingspan of about 1.2 to 1.8cm, and it's about 1cm long when at rest with the wings folded. It has a grey-brownish-pale color. This moth originated in Asia but has spread out to all continents except Antarctica. 

It’s the primary insect pest of pome fruits like apples and pears. The larvae not only feed on the leaves of these fruits but also on the fruits themselves. They are highly dependent on fruits as a food source. Consequently, these insects cause damage and loss since every fruit they munch on becomes unsellable.

Scientific name: Plutella xylostella.
Diamondback moths feast on any crop in the Brassicaceae plant family. They also feed on floral stalks and flower buds. Adult moths are small, slender, and greyish brown. The male moth has three diamond markings on its back. The damage diamondback moths cause is not so much from feeding but the contamination the pupae cause.

Scientific name: Mamestra brassicae.
The cabbage moth is one alarming pest for farmers. Cabbage moth is simply a common name as the species feeds on many fruits, vegetables, and crops in the genus Brassica - cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. It also eats tomato plants, potatoes, and other important crops. It’s a major pest for all brassicas.

Scientific name: Helicoverpa zea.
This moth species belongs to the family of Noctuidae. The larvae of Helicoverpa zea, corn earworm, is a major agricultural pest. The moth measures 3.2 to 4.5cm in wingspan. The corn earworm moth has different common names like cotton bollworm and tomato fruitworm.

This moth is particularly destructive as it targets the most important parts of a plant for food. As insignificant as it might seem, the economic costs of this moth type are over $250 million per year in the United States.

Scientific name: Sitotroga cerealella.
Angoumois grain moths attack several grains. This moth species is mainly associated with ear corn, and it's rare in shelled corn. 

This insect is a primarily stored grain pest because its caterpillar stages develop entirely within a grain kernel. The infested grain, therefore, loses its economic worth. In addition to this, it causes an unpleasant smell, so animals may refuse to eat it and reduce its consumption.

Scientific name: Ephestia kuehniella.
This moth species belongs to the family Pyralidae. As its name suggests, this moth species is a common pest of flour. Although it explicitly infests flour, people also know it as a prevalent pest that targets cereal grains. 

You’ll find these insects in various parts of the world. The adult variants have a wingspan of about 2 to 2.5cm and a length of around 0.9 to 1.2cm. The forewings have a uniform grey color with some dark brown and white marks.

Heirloom plants, often referred to as ‘heritage plants,’ are used for food and are grown for non-commercial purposes. They are direct descendants of old varieties and are usually handed down or gifted. These plants are usually cultivated in isolated groups.

Heirloom plants have been tried and tested as a method to attract bees to gardens – they’re an age-old method of catching any bee’s attention, and this method continues to work. Several of our ancestors who had an interest in gardening have planted these varieties in their days, but it might be tricky getting your hands on a rare and genuine selection in the modern day.

You can reach out to organizations such as Seed Savers Exchange (US) and Plants of Distinction (UK) to ask for heirloom plants. A quick online search may also show similar organizations run by local planters and farmers in your area, who can also provide gardening tips. These organizations carry unique heirloom vegetable seeds that would become interesting plant additions to your garden.

One reason solitary bees love heirloom plants is that they are usually ‘single blossom’ plants with nectarine linings that bees find easy to navigate, making pollination a lot easier. Organic varieties such as rainbow carrots, Brandywine pink tomatoes, Big Jim peppers, and Yellow Pear tomatoes will be safe.

Heirloom plants are a known bee favorite, and growing the right plants in your garden, including some heirlooms, could guarantee the attention of bees.