Happy Pollinator Week!
A tiny bee hovers at the edge of a Columbine flower. Photo: Sierra Hastings.
June has rushed in on a warm summer breeze, bringing with it a flurry of pollinator activity!
Our extraordinary Utah Pollinator Pursuit volunteers have observed over 1,100 pollinators on iNaturalist encompassing over 230 unique species. From bumble bees and butterflies to beetles and moths, Utah's pollinators are showing up in force.
Be part of the buzz! Celebrate #NationalPollinatorWeek by exploring your backyard, walking through your neighborhood, visiting your local nature preserve, or hiking in the mountains. Take time to get outside and appreciate the vast diversity of pollinating species that call our state home.
This Friday, Join the Club...
Be part of the club – BUG CLUB! Coming to pollinator hotspots around the Salt Lake Valley this summer! Our first meetup will be hosted on Friday, June 20, 2025 from 4pm-5pm at Conservation Garden Park.
Bug Club is free, open to the public, and all ages are welcome. Attendees can join us on a tour of the garden, participate in bug bingo, and learn about Utah's incredible diversity of pollinating species.
Conservation Partner Highlight:
Utah's Rare Insect Conservation Program
Utah's Rare Insect Conservation Program team: Iris McCulloch, Amanda Barth, Adam Sovinsky, and Rachel Irvin. Photo: Sierra Hastings.
This month, we're highlighting our amazing partners in conservation with Utah's Rare Insect Conservation Program! This collaborative effort focuses on identifying, researching, and conserving at-risk native insect species in Utah. This program, led by Utah State University, works with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and other partners to prevent insect species from becoming endangered.
Pollinator of the Year:
Squash Bees!
Squash bee by Scott Baxter.
Pollinator Partnership's pollinator of the year is the squash bee!
These solitary, ground-nesting bees are native to the Americas and they specialize in pollinating pumpkins, zucchinis, squash, and gourds!
These powerhouse pollinators are adapted to squash blossoms, following crop cultivation across the continent by Indigenous peoples and, later, through the spread of agriculture by settlers.
You can support these unique bees by providing them safe floral resources and habitat! The zucchini plant in your backyard could not only sustain you (and all of your friends, family, and neighbors!) but also gives squash bees the pollen they need to survive.
What's Poppin' for Pollinators?
We asked the Sageland Collaborative staff to share what flowers are blooming in their gardens this month, and wow, are the flowers popping off for pollinators!
Here are just a few of the native flowers blooming in our gardens:
See more of what's blooming by following along with us on social media this week! We'll be highlighting Utah's unique pollinators, their habitats, and the amazing folks working to conserve them.
Thank You
Thank you for the work you do to conserve Utah's precious pollinators!
Unable to join us in the field this year? Please consider supporting this and other conservation work through donating, sharing on social media or with family and friends, or volunteering your expertise in other capacities on the project.
Please don't hesitate to email us at mary@sagelandcollaborative.org with any questions.