Bee City USA March 2020 E-News
AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT
University of Connecticut Storrs
Photo: Patrick McKee
Guest Blog by Patrick McKee, ​Committee Chair, Bee Campus USA - University of Connecticut Storrs
Sustainability Program Manager, Office of Sustainability, University of Connecticut Storrs

In 2018 the University of Connecticut Storrs became the first certified Bee Campus in the state of Connecticut. UConn’s Bee Campus application was primarily student-driven, and students continue to play a central role in pollinator conservation activities on campus. Faculty, staff, and students integrate pollinator protection throughout campus activities, bringing together the campus community around a shared goal. In 2019, UConn invited the campus community and general public to join them for a variety of exciting pollinator education, outreach, and habitat enhancement activities. 
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FUN FACT
There are around 50 species of bumble bees in North America -- you're likely to encounter them while gardening in your backyard and while hiking through alpine meadows, and most everywhere in between. Their long tongues, unique physiology, and ability to buzz pollinate make them important pollinators in natural areas, farm fields, and your neighborhood.
Learn more about at risk bumble bee species .

Get involved in conserving Bumble Bee species by participating in Bumble Bee Watch , our community science project that helps gather information about Bumble Bee ecology.
In December 2019, the Bee City USA - Asheville leadership committee posed the question, can the committee have even more impact by connecting local pollinator conservation efforts? With that in mind, Bee City Asheville hosted its first Great Buzz Gathering in January 2020. Read the full blog to learn more about their approach to this gathering and the impact it had on inspiring broad-based pollinator conservation efforts in their community.
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MONTHLY ACTION ITEM
With spring just around the corner the time has come to start dreaming about and scheming for your garden this year. Whether you’re new to gardening or have been at it for decades, thinking through where to plant, what to plant, and where to source those plants can seem a bit daunting, particularly when keeping in mind benefit to pollinators.  
To help you with this, we want to share some resources with you. Xerces has a wide variety of helpful online resources specific to your region, including habitat assessment and planning guides , regional native plant lists , and guidance on managing pests using fewer chemicals .

Looking for a starting point for planning? Filling out our Pollinator Habitat Installation Plan can be a great tool to help get started! 

If you prefer to be offline, you can get Xerces Society’s Attracting Native Pollinators , 100 Plants to Feed the Bees , and Gardening for Butterflies wherever you buy your books.
OUR NETWORK IS GROWING!
Check the current Bee City and Bee Campus pages to see the most up-to-date lists of our combined 195 city and campus affiliates in 42 states.

Welcome to the most recent affiliate to join our network:

  • Plymouth State University, New Hampshire
Bee City USA is an initiative of the Xerces Society. Our conservation work is powered by our donors. Your  tax deductible donation  will help us to protect the life that sustains us.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
XERCES PRESENTATIONS & EVENTS NEAR YOU
Xerces staff criss-cross the country making presentations about pollinator conservation.

Check Xerces' events page for a full list of events.
Bee City USA, An Initiative of the Xerces Society | 503-232-6639 X. 127 | beecityusa@xerces.org | www.beecityusa.org