Sowing seeds for pollinators

Pollinators at several special sites will be buzzing with excitement come spring thanks to wildflower plantings taking place this fall. As part of The Wildlife Society’s partnership with Feed a Bee, a series of pollinator-approved plantings is scheduled to take place with partners across the country in the coming months. Among these unique locations are a research department investigating pollinators at Texas Tech University, a therapeutic boarding school with its own bee hives and a family-owned citrus grove.

At the annual conference in Raleigh this October, The Wildlife Society (TWS) announced these plantings would occur in regions where its members are particularly passionate about promoting pollinator health. Existing Feed a Bee partners will plant native wildflowers this fall in:

• Lubbock, Texas
• Scott City, Kansas
• Flanagan, Illinois
• Fort Pierce, Florida.

As a result of these plantings, more than 25 acres of additional forage for pollinators will be established nationally, giving our hardworking allies more sources of nutrition as they buzz from plant to plant. Various local organizations, in addition to TWS members, will have the chance to play a part in the plantings by hand scattering seeds across dedicated plots, with additional acres planted afterward. Educational stations and workshops will also accompany the plantings, providing community members and local growers more information on the latest research in bee health and how to establish their own pollinator patch.

First up is an especially engaging planting with Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where students will share new research about role of native bees in pollination. The second planting will occur at McCarty Family Farms in Scott City, Kansas, a family-owned, award-winning dairy. As a partner of Feed a Bee, these sites place a great emphasis on protecting our pollinators.

Next, the tour heads to Salem4youth, a long-standing partner located in Flanagan, Illinois. Community members will enjoy rotating through four learning stations offering firsthand access to information that is especially of interest to local farmers. Finally, as we bring in the holiday season, the final planting event takes place in Fort Pierce, Florida, with The Packers of Indian River. This Feed a Bee partner is a fully operational grove – producing, packing and distributing citrus produce of many kinds. The event will include a tour of the grove, where the family has been growing quality produce since 1928.

We’re overjoyed to announce these upcoming planting events with some of our most crucial partners. Additionally, we are thankful to have The Wildlife Society’s hand in conveying the important message about pollinators’ role in our ecosystem. We look forward to celebrating these industrious insects and hope to see you there!

To learn more about the Bayer Bee Care Program, visit beehealth.bayer.us.

Bayer Bee Care is a Premier Partner of The Wildlife Society.