When it comes to pollination, honeybees get all the attention, but most of the credit belongs to a diverse group of organisms that call New England home. There have been over 350 species of wild bees identified in Vermont to date, and they – along with myriad moths, butterflies, wasps, beetles, flies, and birds – are responsible for pollinating ~80% of flowering plants and ~66% of food crops. Recent reports of declining insect populations have spurred a worldwide movement to restore habitat, promote biodiversity, and integrate pollinator conservation into the human landscape. At the same time, the northeast is facing a critical shortage of native plant stock, threatening to stall many state and local restoration efforts.

This course will provide an introduction to pollination ecology, focusing on the relationships between our native pollinators and their environment. Topics will include ecology, natural history, conservation, field methods, and an overview of native plant propagation and habitat restoration. Students will leave this course with a basic understanding of New England’s native pollinators, the plants that support them, and the tools needed for their conservation.

Part of NBNC’s Biodiversity University series.