The past 2 weeks I attempted to visit Stratford for another program shadowing experience. However, due to unpredictable weather and other extenuating circumstances, I was unable to shadow April and I am now planning on returning next week. With that being said, the past two weeks I have focused on developing the backyard pollinator habitat activity April and I discussed. I will be formatting the activity guidelines and information below into one of Stratford’s Field Trip Activity sheets before submitting the project.

Creating a Backyard Pollinator Habitat

Objective: To provide nectar and larval host plant sources to native pollinator species. Observe how the presence of specific organisms changes in your backyard after your pollinator garden begins to grow.

Background: We often think of conservation efforts as contributing to a larger-scale phenomenon, such as switching to a more sustainable lifestyle or donating to various conservation organizations. However, we can take conservation initiatives in our own backyards! By simply creating a small strip of native plants in your backyard instead of mowing it over you can ensure that your native pollinators have healthy food, a place to nest, and a livable habitat.

Where Should I Create My Garden?

Your pollinator garden should be in the sunniest spot possible. Pollinating insects need to be warm to be active, so ensuring that your garden is in a sunny location will help them warm up even when temperatures begin to cool.

What Should be in My Garden?

A general pollinator garden should have brightly colored native flowering plants. There are many native wildflowers to choose from, but some examples of Ohio wildflowers are: Common Milkweed, Blue-Eyed Grass, Butterflyweed, Purple Coneflower and Gray-Headed Coneflower. If you are hoping to attract a specific species, like the Monarch Butterfly, for example, make sure to also plant the larval host plant for that species. It is also important that your garden blooms from early summer through the fall season in order to provide a constant source of nectar for your pollinators, so be sure to choose wildflowers that bloom at various times. And remember to make sure that the plants you choose are all native plant species!