The Ohio State University Bee Lab is hosting a series of online classes for anyone interested in planting some pollinator habitat. The webinars are free though registration is required to join them live on Fridays at 9 am central time between October 14th and November 11th. It’s a great lineup of speakers and a good opportunity to learn, especially if you’re a beginner!
10/14: Doug Tallamy, University of Delaware
Pollinators’ Best Hope: A New Approach to Pollinator Habitat That Starts in Your Yard
10/21: Harland Patch, Penn State University
Creating Pollinator Gardens: the Role of Plant Choice and Design
10/28: Heather Holm, Author and Biologist
Creating and Managing Habitat for Native Bees
11/4: Matthew Shepherd, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Deciding To Create A Pollinator Garden Is The Easy Step — What To Do Next?
11/11: Shana Byrd, The Dawes Arboretum
Getting Started with Wildflower Patches, Flower Strips, and Meadows
Each session will last approximately 60 minutes plus questions.
More information and how to register can be found on the OSU Bee Lab page at https://u.osu.edu/beelab/courses/. Iowa specific pollinator resources can be found on the DNR’s Pollinator webpage at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Conversvation/Iowas-Wildlife/Pollinators.
Don’t forget to log your habitat! If you’ve recently planted or plan to plant habitat that benefits Monarch butterflies, the DNR would like to know! The Iowa Monarch Consortium is working to conserve the Monarch butterfly in Iowa by encouraging the planting of a million acres of Monarch habitat, including 160 million milkweeds. The app is available as a free download on iOS and Android devices from the App Store by searching “HabiTally monarchs.”