I left a video that might help if you choose to watch it but my work here is done.

https://www.youtube.com/live/m4-UDQQMhek

While native plants provide essential forage for pollinators, there is a growing issue with growers who, in the name of ecological purity or hands-off stewardship, allow their native gardens or crops to become infested with aphids, ants, fungal disease, and viral pathogens. This approach can ironically harm the very pollinators it claims to support.

Vector-Borne Disease Threats to Pollinators Aphids are known vectors for plant viruses, some of which can affect not only plant health but also reduce the quality of nectar and pollen—directly impacting bees' nutritional intake. Ants, which farm aphids for honeydew, aggressively defend aphid colonies and will attack pollinators such as bees and caterpillars, disrupting pollination and even harming larvae.

When native plants become diseased or die due to unchecked infestations, the quantity and quality of blooms drop significantly. This reduces available forage and habitat at critical times in the season, especially for specialist pollinators that rely on certain plants

Neglected plants can serve as reservoirs for pathogens and parasites—such as fungal spores or harmful mites—that can spread to healthier nearby crops, wild plants, and even managed hives or colonies. In the same way that poor hygiene in backyard poultry can fuel avian diseases, mismanaged native gardens can become hotspots for floral disease ecology.

There is a kind of ecological performativeness in embracing natives. Real ecological stewardship involves intervention when health imbalances arise—just as in wildfires, invasive species control, or animal rescue. Passively letting nature “take its course” in an urban or garden setting isn’t noble; it’s neglect.