It's Pollinator Week in Bee City Austin

Join the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Public Library starting June 19 through June 25 for Pollinator Week. Bee City Austin celebrations will include pollinator talks, a night walk and other fun activities for adults and families. Come to the Austin Science and Nature Center's Seed Library Grand Opening! See an exhibit about the metamorphosis of the monarch butterfly at the Splash Exhibition Area next to the main entrance of Barton Springs Pool. Find a complete list of pollinator events and registration information at AustinTexas.gov/Blog/Pollinator-Week.

Why are local pollinators important and what can we do to help them? Over 115 species of native bees are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need by state wildlife agencies within the U.S. Our native pollinators are the “work horses” of local ecosystems. They are diligently going about their critical ecological task every day and often go unnoticed. Many of our native bees are “central place foragers” and feed very close to their nest, so creating small-scale habitats by planting native plants and reducing pesticides can help make a difference.

On March 23, 2022, Austin became a Bee City USA affiliate. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities to sustain and support pollinators, specifically the approximately 3,600 species of bees native to the U.S. Such support involves increasing native plant abundance, providing nest sites, and reducing pesticide usage. Bee City USA is an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. For more information about Bee City Austin please visit AustinTexas.gov/BeeCity.