Pollinator-Friendly Activities

Here are some simple steps you can take in your yard to create habitat and help pollinators survive and thrive.

1. Plant a pollinator garden.  Pollinator gardening is fun.  Check out: http://www.kidsgardening.com/growingideas/projects/jan03/pg1.html    This website offers gardening instructions along with educational and curriculum resources.
2. Reduce chemical misuse.  Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce damage to your plants and to protect pollinators by using less chemicals.  You could intersperse food plants, like tomatoes, with inedible plants like marigolds.  Marigolds are known to attract pest insects away from food plants.  
3. Reduce your area of lawn grass.  Grass lawns offer little food or shelter for most wildlife, including pollinators.  You can replace grass with a wild meadow or prairie plants.  For a neater look, make a perennial border with native plants.  Plants native to our area are adapted to your soil type, climate, precipitation, and local pollinators.  You can get a list of plants native to our area at:  http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/nativeplants.cfm
4. Provide water.  All wildlife, including pollinators, need water.  Some butterfly species sip water from muddy puddles to quench their thirst and get important minerals.  You can provide water in a birdbath or even a shallow dish place on the ground.  Be sure to change the water frequently to prevent mosquitoes.