Two 5.5 x 16.5 meter (90 square meter) bee forage and conservation biological control buffers composed of floral abundant and diverse native wildflower seed mixes were designed to support pollination and pest control.

Buffer I was edged, tilled, and smoothed in early-summer and divided into 12 2.75 x 2.75 meter plots, which were randomly assigned three site-preparation treatments (hand-weeding, herbicide application, or solarization; 4 plots per treatment) and two propagation treatments (hand-broadcast seed or clay seed balls; 6 plots per treatment). Site-preparation treatments began in early-summer and were maintained once per three weeks (7 times) until mid-autumn. Hand-weeding was performed with dandelion weeder and fan-rake. Herbicide application was performed with glyphosate following label recommendations and a Solo backpack sprayer. Solarization was performed with UV-stable and 6 mil Sun Master Pull and Cut Greenhouse Film and was monitored with soil thermometers. Propagation treatments were performed in mid-autumn and consisted of 0.23 kg of Northeastern U.S. Roadside Native Mix without Grasses (ERNMX-125; Ernst Seeds, Meadville PA) per treatment. ERNMX-125 plant list is presented in Table 1. Hand-broadcast seed was bulked with clean sand and evenly distributed on treatment plots. Clay seed balls (seed bombs) were sculpted with 5 parts red art clay, 2 parts earthworm castings, and one part wildflower seed, dried, and distributed at a rate of 150 seed bombs per treatment plot. All seedbeds were rolled following seed distribution.

Buffer II was edged, tilled, and smoothed in early-summer and divided into 12 2.75 x 2.75 meter plots, which were randomly assigned three site-preparation treatments (hand-weeding, herbicide application, sheet-mulching, or solarization; 3 plots per treatment) and one propagation treatment (hand-broadcast seed). Site-preparation treatments began in early-summer and were maintained once per three weeks until mid-autumn. Hand-weeding, herbicide application, and solarization were performed as above. Sheet-mulching was performed with an 8 mm layer of cardboard covered with 75 mm of ALC-produced compost. Hand-broadcast seed propagation treatments were performed in mid-autumn and consisted of 0.91 kg of Low-growing Wildflower & Grass Mix (ERNMX-156; Ernst Seeds, Meadville PA). ERNMX-156 plant list is presented in Table 2. Hand-broadcast seed was bulked with clean sand and evenly distributed on treatment plots. All seedbeds were rolled following seed distribution.

Table 1. Northeastern U.S. Roadside Native Mix without Grasses (ERNMX-125; Ernst Seeds, Meadville PA). List replicated from http://www.ernstseed.com/seed-mix/?category-id=20.
• 16% Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Coastal Plain (Coreopsis lanceolata, Coastal Plain NC Ecotype)
• 14% Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• 11% Marsh (Dense) Blazing Star (Spiked Gayfeather), PA Ecotype (Liatris spicata, PA Ecotype)
• 9% Ohio Spiderwort, PA Ecotype (Tradescantia ohiensis, PA Ecotype)
• 8% Partridge Pea, PA Ecotype (Chamaecrista fasciculata (Cassia f.), PA Ecotype)
• 8% New England Aster, PA Ecotype (Aster novae-angliae (Symphyotrichum n.), PA Ecotype)
• 7% Blue False Indigo, Southern WV Ecotype (Baptisia australis, Southern WV Ecotype)
• 7% Wild Senna, VA & WV Ecotype (Senna hebecarpa (Cassia h.), VA & WV Ecotype)
• 6% Flat Topped White Aster, PA Ecotype (Aster umbellatus (Doellingeria umbellata), PA Ecotype)
• 5% Oxeye Sunflower, PA Ecotype (Heliopsis helianthoides, PA Ecotype)
• 3% Wild Bergamot, PA Ecotype (Monarda fistulosa, PA Ecotype)
• 3% Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
• 2% Swamp Milkweed, PA Ecotype (Asclepias incarnata, PA Ecotype)
• 1% Early Goldenrod, PA Ecotype (Solidago juncea, PA Ecotype)

Table 2. Low-growing Wildflower & Grass Mix (ERNMX-156; Ernst Seeds, Meadville PA). List replicated from http://www.ernstseed.com/seed-mix/?category-id=40.
• 56% Sheep Fescue, Variety Not Stated (Festuca ovine, Variety Not Stated)
• 17% Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum (L. perenne var. italicum))
• 8% Perennial Blue Flax (Linum perenne ssp. lewisii)
• 6% Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum maximum)
• 5% Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Coastal Plain (Coreopsis lanceolata, Coastal Plain NC Ecotype)
• 2% Blackeyed Susan, Coastal Plain NC Ecotype (Rudbeckia hirta, Coastal Plain NC Ecotype)
• 1% Corn Poppy/Shirley Mix (Papaver rhoeas, Shirley Mix)
• 1% Spotted Beebalm, Coastal Plain SC Ecotype (Monarda punctata, Coastal Plain SC Ecotype)
• 1% Partridge Pea, PA Ecotype (Chamaecrista fasciculata (Cassia f.), PA Ecotype)
• 0.4% Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)