We’re All Abuzz for National Pollinator Week, June 20-26
It’s National Pollinator Week (June 20-26), and North Carolina Wildlife Federation is celebrating birds, bees, bats, butterflies, hoverflies, moths, beetles and other species integral to the biodiversity of our ecosystems.
“Pollinators play a vital role in ecological services and food production. We rely on them for many fruits, vegetables and nuts – about a third of every bite we eat,” said Tara Moore, director of conservation partnerships. “We have pollinators to thank for the apples, blueberries, chocolate, coffee, melons, peaches, potatoes, pumpkins, vanilla and almonds we eat.”
But the perils pollinators face are no secret. Scientists have documented a decline in native bees and migrating species such as monarch butterflies for years. Habitat loss from development is the primary cause, followed by pesticide and fungicide use, climate change, and parasites and diseases.
Much of N.C. Wildlife Federation’s work is centered around helping create a network of native flowering plants to support butterflies, bees, birds and other pollen and nectar-dependent wildlife through habitat restoration programs and events.
Added Moore, “National Pollinator Week is a perfect time to raise pollinator awareness, support pollinator health, restore pollinator habitats and spread the word about how we can protect them.”
National Pollinator Week online and in-person events
6 ways to show North Carolina’s pollinators some love
- Purchase a packet of our native pollinator seed mix, which provides several native flowering plants, including milkweed, black-eyed Susan and coneflower.
- Order a Butterfly Highway sign to show your commitment to protecting pollinators and providing a safe haven for butterflies, bees and more.
- Register your yard as a Pollinator Pitstop and commit to providing a safe place for pollinators to thrive in both adult and early stages.
- Support the Butterfly Highway with a tax-deductible gift to help expand pollinator habitat throughout North Carolina through on-the-ground restoration projects.
- Sign up for The Butterfly Highway newsletter for the buzz on pollinators and native plants for your yard, where to buy them, and what’s flying and blooming in North Carolina.
- Make a beeline to the Pollinators & Insects section of our online library of wildlife and habitat webinars and explore these topics and more:
- Native Pollinators of North Carolina
- North Carolina Native Plants for Pollinators: Spring Blooms
- North Carolina Piedmont Pollinators and Gardening for Wildlife
- Marvelous Moths of North Carolina
- How to Make a Butterfly Puddler
- Hummingbirds in North Carolina
- Homeowner’s Guide to Pollinator-Friendly Mosquito Management
- Get to Know the Wild Bees in Your Yard
- Go Native! with Dr. Mellichamp and MARSH
- Attracting Pollinators to Your Yard