July is a-buzz with Pollinators
Bombus griseocollis perched on a purple coneflower. Photo by Matthew A. Mulvey
What a month, pollinator pals! July truly brought the heat, and with it, a flurry of pollinator observations from our Utah Pollinator Pursuit community. This month, community scientists have logged over 2,500 pollinators on iNaturalist! From bumble bees and butterflies to moths and wasps, this invaluable data paints a picture of how these species are utilizing habitats across the state.
Whether you've logged one or a hundred observations - thank you! Your contributions make positive outcomes for pollinators possible. We've got some fun opportunities to get involved coming up, and we hope you'll join us!
June Volunteer of the Month:
Parker Loyd
We are thrilled to recognize Parker Lloyd as our June Volunteer of the Month! This month, Parker has contributed 25 observations to the Utah Pollinator Pursuit project and monitored wetlands with us through the Boreal Toad Project, providing valuable data that inform habitat management decisions for our native pollinators and amphibians.
Pollinator Highlight: Cuckoo Bees
The growing season is in full swing - warm temperatures and long, sunny days - and you can almost guarantee that your garden's flowers will be bustling with a variety of busy bee species gathering nectar and pollen for their offspring. Cuckoo bees, however, defy this conventional archetype — they are cleptoparasites!
In just the last two and a half months, Utah community scientists have submitted more than 90 observations of indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bees around the state. Read our latest blog from Utah Pollinator Pursuit lead Amanda Barth to learn more about these unique pollinators!
Pollinator Office Hours
Sageland's Communications & Outreach Intern, Alhondra Lopez, at our Red Butte Garden Pollinator Office Hour. Photo by Sierra Hastings.
We have loved seeing so many folks at our Pollinator Office Hours this season! We've caught (and released) our share of bumble bees, learned from pollinator experts, and enjoying slowing down to observe nature.
We have one last Pollinator Office Hour for the season, and we hope to see you there! These casual events are a great chance to connect with our team and get your pollinator questions answered.
Join us on Tuesday, August 13th from 11am-12pm at the International Peace Gardens. Find us at the main entrance to the Gardens, just north of the Jordan Park parking area.
Looking for pollinator resources? Check out the Utah Pollinator Pursuit website and the project page here. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about the project or how to get involved.
Thank You
Your contributions help us to inform best management practices for pollinators and the habitats they need to survive - thank you!
Not able to join us in the field this year? Please consider supporting this work through donating, sharing on social media or by passing this email along to family and friends who may be interested!
Please don't hesitate to email us at mary@sagelandcollaborative.org with any questions.