Wendy’s Wanderings

Great Southeast Pollinator Census – August 22-23, 2025

May 6, 2025

While adding new plants to my pollinator garden recently, I had a thought — this plant will be perfect for the upcoming Great Southeast Pollinator Census. Scheduled for August 22nd and 23rd, 2025, the census invites gardeners across the Southeast to spend 15 minutes observing a single flowering plant and recording insect visitors. Participants will count and categorize pollinators such as bees, wasps, flies and butterflies.

Launched in 2017 by the University of Georgia, this impactful citizen-science initiative has since expanded to include five southeastern states. Jeremy Rhoden, Florida’s Census Coordinator, emphasizes the program’s significance: “The census is an important citizen-science project that delivers real data that entomologists are able to utilize.”

My pollinator garden already attracts a variety of bees and butterflies, but in true “A+ student” fashion, I’m taking extra steps to optimize it ahead of this year’s census. Here are the pollinator-friendly practices I’ll be using.

• Use Florida native plants. Native pollinators are adapted to native plants, which offer the nectar, pollen and habitat these insects need.
• Select plants with continuous blooms. Ongoing blooms ensure food availability throughout the growing season, increasing the chances of observing pollinators during the census window.
• Group the same plants together. Planting in clusters rather than scattering helps pollinators locate flowers more easily, a strategy promoted by the U.S. Forest Service: “Pollinators are more likely to visit a large group of the same plant than single, isolated plants.”
• Diversify flower colors, shapes and sizes. This attracts a wider variety of pollinator species, each with different preferences and feeding methods.
• Deadhead spent blooms. Removing old flowers encourages plants to produce more blossoms, keeping the garden attractive and productive for pollinators.
• Provide shallow water sources. A birdbath or even a shallow dish with pebbles offers pollinators a safe place to hydrate.
• Avoid pesticides. Even “pollinator-safe” pesticides can harm beneficial insects. The Xerces Society recommends eliminating pesticide use to protect pollinator health.

Pollinator gardens play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity by offering food and shelter to beneficial insects. Participating in the census is a simple yet powerful way to contribute to scientific research—and to deepen our appreciation for the creatures that keep our ecosystems blooming.

Join us this August and become part of a regional movement to protect and celebrate pollinators. Your 15 minutes can make a difference.

Learn how to participate and more at the Great Southeast Pollinator Census website.