North Carolina Pollinator Conservation Alliance

Researchers from Auburn University went to a small Texas town to study bee populations. They found much more diversity than expected. They also discovered three plants that seemed to be primary food sources for these bees. This led to the creation of a biodiversity ordinance that will protect these particular plants from disturbance or removal. Violation of this ordinance is considered a misdemeanor offense and will carry a penalty of $2,000 per occurrence. Natural resource and conservation organizations in North Carolina work with local governments to incorporate wildlife-friendly practices into their ordinances. We need to bring biodiversity ordinances to North Carolina – what a great idea! Click here to read the full article.

The Monarch Joint Venture is partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center to present a year of informative and interesting webinars about monarch butterflies. Topics include, “How to Plant for Success: the Trials and Triumphs of Establishing Monarch Habitat”, “Urban Monarch Butterfly Conservation”, “Lessons from Roadside Management for Monarchs” and much more! These webinars are free – click here to find the registration link and full list of webinars for 2019.

When you read this title, it almost sounds like something out of a science fiction movie. How can flowers hear anything? And if they do hear, how does that make them capable of producing sweeter nectar? A Tel Aviv University researcher found that in at least one case, plants can actually ‘hear’, and it gives them a huge advantage. Within minutes of sensing vibrations from a pollinator’s wings, evening primroses temporarily increase the concentration of sugar in its nectar. “We have to take into account that flowers have evolved with pollinators for a very long time…they are living entities, and they, too, need to survive in the world. It’s important for them to be able to sense their environment – especially if they cannot go anywhere”. To read more about this fascinating study, click here!

Every month, the National Recreation and Park Association polls Americans on any and everything related to park and recreation issues. In this month’s poll, there were two questions: 1. Should communities have designated areas for plants that support pollinator species? and 2. What actions can be taken to help conserve pollinators? Click here to find the answers! This survey was conducted by Wakefield Research; 1,002 individuals, age 18+, were polled.

Do you remember learning about insects when you were in school? Or if you’re in school currently, are there multiple chapters devoted to insects in your science textbook? Insects outnumber most other species beyond measure, yet new research has revealed that they’re not represented nearly enough in today’s classroom. A recent study in the scientific journal, American Entomologist, found that insects are vastly underrepresented, leading to misconceptions about animal diversity. Furthermore, research found that insect content in textbooks decreased by more than 75% in recent textbooks (published since 2000) compared to books published before 1960. To read more about this, and find the link to American Entomologist, click here.

Just published in the New York Times, this article details the dramatic decline of insect populations in recent history.  Have you ever heard of the ‘windshield phenomenon’?  If you’re old enough, think back twenty, thirty, forty years:  you’re driving down the road and so many insects are piling up on your windshield that you can barely see.  Have you noticed that now?  Most people are shaking their heads, ‘no’.  There is a noticeable absence of solid data from the past to establish a baseline, but scientists and nature enthusiasts alike are noticing the stark drop in insect numbers.  Click here to read the article and learn more about what is happening as well as what can still be done to prevent a total extinction event.

Photo illustration courtesy of Matt Dorfman

Photo illustration courtesy of Matt Dorfman

Audubon North Carolina has expanded their native plant list from 400 to 692 native and cultivated plants that thrive in North Carolina!  This list is a single source of recommended bird and pollinator-friendly plants that can be filtered by habitat, food source type, animals benefited, wetland status and more.  Also on the Audubon NC website, you can enter your zip code and get a list of recommended bird-friendly plants native to your geographical area.  Click here to learn more Audubon NC’s expanded list!

Photo courtesy of Will Stuart

The leaves are falling and garden beds are looking drab.  You might look out your window and think it’s time to do some yard work.  Before you head out the door, remember there are many good reasons why you should sit back and let nature take it’s course.  Providing good habitat for our insect communities is a top reason:  standing stalks of dead plants and leaf litter provide shelter and refuge for countless hibernating insects.  Click here to learn more about how you can help our pollinators survive the season.

Photo courtesy of Dean Fosdick via AP

Photo courtesy of Debbie Roos

Governor Roy Cooper has officially designated October 28 to November 3 as Native Plants Week in North Carolina, highlighting the importance of native plants to North Carolina’s natural heritage.  Last October (2017), First Lady, Kristin Cooper, hosted a special commemoration at the Executive Mansion, where she joined Audubon North Carolina in installing over 1,000 native plants.  Read Governor Cooper’s Proclamation for this year, and check out our ‘Events’ tab for pictures from last year’s event.

Just released!  Our Energy Committee has drafted a detailed guidance document for the creation of pollinator habitat on solar farms.  You can either navigate to our ‘Energy’ section (under the ‘Committees’ tab) to find the document and get more information, or click here: NC Solar Technical Guidance Oct 2018.   You will find a wide range of information, including plant lists, habitat recommendations and general pollinator biology.

Photo courtesy of Fresh Energy

Photo courtesy of Fresh Energy