Saving Pollinators, One Garden at a Time

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are on the decline worldwide, but you can make a difference for them right in your own garden. Join National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski for a fun and informative talk on how to plant a beautiful garden that also helps declining pollinators. David will introduce the different kinds of pollinators, give his expert tips on how to make your own space pollinator-friendly, and show you how you can get it recognized as an official “Certified Wildlife Habitat."

Recorded June 25, 2020

Quick Tips for Pollinator Gardening

1. Plant native flowering plants in your garden. Get a list for your zip code.

2. Reduce the size of your lawn and replace it with native blooming plants.

3. Provide water for pollinators by filling a shallow birdbath with gravel or creating a muddy patch in a corner of your yard.

4. Attract hummingbirds by planting dense shrubs for nesting and native plants with bright red and orange tubular flowers for food. Supplement as needed with a nectar feeder.

5. Most native bees are solitary and lay eggs in tiny tunnels in dead trees, fallen branches, hollow stems, or in sandy soil. Leave standing dead trees, fallen logs, and bare patches of sandy soil.

6. Butterflies need special “host plants” as food for their caterpillars. Find host plants for butterflies and moths native to your area.

7. Monarch caterpillars rely on only one host plant — milkweed — so planting it will provide essential habitat. You can also find nectar plants for monarch butterflies in your area.

Keep the facts at your fingertips — check out the Pollinator Gardening tip sheet for more information about creating and maintaining a pollinator-friendly garden.