Pollinator & Insect Conservation News

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Sonoran Desert Pollinator Plant Guide


The City of Phoenix Environmental Programs department has just released a Sonoran Desert Pollinator Plant Guide. The guide aims to highlight plants that can be seasonally found at local nurseries and includes tips for planting, maintenance, and watering. The guide is available in both English and Spanish versions.


Sonoran Desert Pollinator Plant Guide

Desierto de Sonoran Guía de Plantas para Polinizadores


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Instagram: @azmonarchs

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Events & Training

Apr. 21 - Pollination of Globemallow (Sphaeralcea), Thistle (Cirsium) and Pediocactus

Arizona Native Plant Society, Flagstaff Chapter | Hybrid meeting: In-person and via Zoom (click here to register for Zoom)


Apr. 25 - Borderlands Restoration Network Spring Plant Sale

Borderlands Nursery & Seed, Patagonia, AZ

Job Postings & Volunteer Opportunities

JOBS

Closing Apr. 24 - USDA ARS Bee Lab Seasonal Technicians

*Position is located at the USDA ARS Bee Lab in Logan, UT


VOLUNTEERING

Apr. 26 - Help us Help Pollinators in the Rio Salado!

Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter | Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area | Click here to RSVP


Ongoing - Desert Refuge Milkweed and Monarch Monitoring

Black Canyon Heritage Park, Black Canyon City, AZ


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Megachilidae bee on a cholla cactus flower

Photo credit kristen-c on iNaturalist


Working Committee Activities

Research & Monitoring


At the last meeting, we largely discussed the implications of sharing locations of remote sensed tags. Our next meeting will be May 28th at 10 am. Please email Kim Pegram, kpegram@dbg.org if you are interested in joining. 


Chair: Kim Pegram, kpegram@dbg.org

Management Practices & Outreach


The committee just completed the text for a handout educating homeowners about the effects of pesticides on insect pollinators. This handout will be available in a digital printable format soon. We are starting work on a pollinator planting guide for northern Arizona.


Chair: Jessi Miller, jessica_miller@fws.gov

Plant Materials & Restoration


Please join us at our next virtual meeting on May 5th at 10am. Email Natalie Melkonoff at nmelkonoff@dbg.org for more information or if you are interested in joining the group.


Chair: Natalie Melkonoff, nmelkonoff@dbg.org

Interested in joining a working committee? Reach out to one of our committee chairs to learn more!

Recent Publications of Interest

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Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)

Photo by lonniepilkington on iNaturalist



Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California

Ibsen, P. C. et. al. | Conservation Science and Practice | March 2026


Comparing Machine Learning Using UAVs to Ground Survey Methods to Quantify Milkweed Stem Density and Habitat Characteristics in ROWs

Baker, A. M. et. al. | Insects | March 2026


Student drawings reflect greater plant and insect diversity after schools install monarch butterfly gardens

Geest, E. A. et. al. | Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education | March 2026


Evaluating cultivars for pollinator gardens

Dorian, N. N. et. al. | Ecosphere | April 2026

We'd love to hear from you!


Share your Arizona monarch or pollinator related projects, events, and more to be included in future newsletters.

Email us at: azmonarchs@dbg.org


Join our iNaturalist project to share plant and pollinator interactions in our state. Observations shared to the project may be featured in our newsletter!

Arizona Monarch Collaborative iNat Project

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Desert woollystar (Eriastrum eremicum)

Photo credit inatalia on iNaturalist

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