Learn About Pollinators
Here you’ll find general information on a variety of the most important pollinators. For more detailed information and guides to common North American bees, consider buying a copy of Attracting Native Pollinators.
Native Bee Biology
There is an astonishing diversity of native bees across the USA. About 4,000 species have been identified and catalogued, ranging in length from less than one eighth of an inch to more than one inch. Read more…
Bumble Bees
Bumble bees are important pollinators of wild flowering plants and crops. Loss of bumble bees can have far ranging ecological impacts due to their role as pollinators. Learn more about Project Bumble Bee here.
Red List of Bees
Native bees are in decline, the red list includes detailed profiles on the conservation of each listed species. View the native bee red list here.
Monarch Butterflies
The monarch butterflies of North America are renowned for their long-distance seasonal migration and their spectacular winter gatherings in Mexico and California.Read more…
Life Cycle
The life cycle of a typical bumble bee colony. Illustration by David Wysotski, Allure Illustration.
1. A queen emerges from hibernation in spring and finds a nest site, such as an abandon rodent burrow.
2. She creates wax pots to hold nectar and pollen, on which she lays and incubates her eggs.
3. When her daughters emerge as adults, they take over foraging and other duties.
4. In autumn the colony produces new queens and male bees, who leave to find mates. Newly mated queens hibernate and the rest of the bees die.
Resources
Attracting Native Pollinators
Xerces most recent book, Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies, is available to purchase from our website. The book is published in 2011 by Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massachusetts. Attracting Native Pollinators is coauthored by four Xerces Society staff members Eric Mader, Matthew Shepherd, Mace Vaughan, and Scott Black in collaboration with Read more …
Schools
Resources for educators Whether it is a natural area in which plants tangle and flowers scramble or a more formally designed landscape, a school garden can provide both a source of inspiration and a learning resource that can be integrated through the school. A garden offers a direct way for students to learn about the Read more …
