Online pollinator content: engaging with bees while we're social distancing
If you’re looking to learn more about beekeeping or pollinators in general, the links below provide great resources. The first three links provide reading materials and include an online pollinators program provided by Michigan State University, the fourth link provides pollinator-related activities geared towards kids, and the last link leads to a site with citizen science opportunities related to pollinators.
Reading Resources
If you’re looking to stay indoors but would like some garden inspiration or are looking to learn more about pollinators read the first issue of 2 Million Blossoms! They’ve released their first issue for free, and this magazine has a different author for each section covering topics such as insight into planting a pollinator garden to a column on a lesser known native pollinator.
The American Bee Journal’s April issue is another free educational resource. This journal focuses more on honey bees and offers information such as spring management tips for your colony and how pesticide spraying impacts honey bees.
Michigan State University now offers a program called Pollinator Champions, where you can learn about pollinators for free. Topics include: Why do we care about pollinators?, Who are pollinators?, What is happening to pollinators?, and How we can help pollinators?. If you complete this course, for a small fee you can receive a certificate and materials that can help you give presentations about pollinators.
Activities for Kids
The following link provides information on online educational activities specifically geared towards kids. One of the links include a Pollinator Garden Game, which has four pollinator themed learning activities: Design your own landscape, Flower and pollinator dissection, Plight of the forager bee, and Visit the royal palace. Another link includes a do-it-yourself guide for building things to collect and keep insects. These are only two of the many links you can find through the source below.
Citizen Science Opportunities
The following link provides information on several citizen science opportunities related to pollinators. These are great if you’re looking to get out of the house and into nature!