Resources: Pollinator Gardens

Our Future Flies on the Wings of Pollinators - In-depth resources on all kinds of North American pollinators. Includes a "pollinator of the month" feature.

Operation RubyThroat
A collaborative, international project on hummingbirds and their migration. Features advice on attracting them, photo galleries, questions and answers, and an online discussion.

Pollination Home Page
A plethora of links to photo galleries, articles, and even movies.

The Bee Works
The thorough buzz on bees, and a photo gallery to boot. The Just for Kids area, best for middle school kids, details how bees see, why they dance, how to "save" them.

Bee Trivia
Ten bees weigh as much as one M & M — and other even more useful trivia. Kids will like the interactivity.

Monarch Watch
An online tagging and monitoring project, curriculum ideas, connections with research scientists, and a butterfly garden kit.

Nectar Bats
Learn about greater long-nosed bats, important pollinators of agave plants in southwestern North America. This site (Bat Conservation International) stars lots of other bats, too, and describes the important role they play in ecosystems.

Pollination Adaptations
How do bees see flowers? How do flower aromas lure flies? How does a hummingbird find a meal? You'll find answers and cool photos here.

Lesson: Honeybees and Pollination
Three hands-on activities for grades four to six.

Learning Tools for Pursuing Pollinators

Pollinator Field Journal
Our new field guide leads students through investigations into flower structure, pollinator preference, and pollination. As they record observations and collect data, students discover the important role that pollinators play in helping plants produce seeds and in making the foods they eat. Includes resources. 16 pages.

Pollinator Activity Kit
Chock full of hands-on explorations to guide students to an understanding of and appreciation for the vital process of pollination — an intricate dance between flowers and their pollinating partners. Kit includes enough craft materials for 25 students, a Class Action Pollinator Activity guide, 25 student pollinator journals, and blackline reproducibles.

Mason Bee House
Attracts docile Blue Mason bees (it will not attract stinging bees or wasps), pollinators of a range of flowers and fruit. Comes with a 38-page guide that includes detailed information on pollination and the Blue Mason bee, frequently asked questions, and a chart for field notes. The bee house is 7" long and includes a hanging bracket.