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Pollinator Habitat

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dried flowers in a garden
Read article: Pollinator tips for fall clean up time
Pollinator tips for fall clean up time
Where did summer go?  It seems like we were just enjoying the sun, imagining all the wonderful produce our gardens would make, and looking...
A hand color rendering a landscape plan
Read article: Ten Tips for Incorporating Habitat into Your Home Landscape
Ten Tips for Incorporating Habitat into Your Home Landscape
Habitat was once thought of as something outside of town in the countryside. Today incorporating habitat into home landscaping in and...
two clumps of grass in a pollinator garden
Read article: Role of grasses in a pollinator garden
Role of grasses in a pollinator garden
A year ago my family moved. As a gardener, I was looking for a house with a big yard with lots of potential to plant huge gardens. We found a home...
Read article: Pollinators' complicated relationship with climate change
Pollinators' complicated relationship with climate change
Like almost everything else with climate change, the impacts are mostly bad news. Increasing drought severity is already driving pollinator declines...

News Releases

Pollinator Palooza at Carlyle Lake: A Free Family-Friendly Event
University of Illinois Extension invites the community to Pollinator Palooza, a free outdoor event celebrating our vital pollinators! Join us at the Carlyle Lake Visitor Center on [Event Date] for a day of educational fun and engaging activities designed to highlight the importance of...
A colorful garden along a sidewalk in front of a building with a beautiful blue sky.
Pollinator garden flourishes at Danville Public Library
DANVILLE, Ill. — As someone strolls along the sidewalk in front of the Danville Public Library, they are greeted by the enchanting sight of bees, wasps, a variety of butterflies, and even some mydas flies flitting between the vibrant, colorful flowers of a thriving...
A monarch butterfly on a yellow-eyed Susan flower bloom.
Provide resources to pollinators in any space with container gardens
URBANA, Ill. — Supporting pollinators has become increasingly important as concerns over pollinator population decline are more evident. The good news is that even small spaces can provide resources for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Container gardens are one solution for...
A ruby-throated hummingbird visiting a purple blazing prairie star plant.
Gardening for a hummingbird's travels
URBANA, Ill. — Hummingbirds are unlike any other bird. Spanning the Americas with over 330 species, hummingbirds belong to Trochilidae, the second-largest bird family in the world. However, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) inhabits the Midwest....

Videos

Tricky Pollinator Questions and Answers

Are my annual plants “junk food” for bees? Can I help pollinators by not mowing my lawn? How can I help pollinators thrive if I don’t have a garden? This presentation explorespollinator questions that have nuanced, uncertain, or controversial answers. 

Illinois Native Pollinators

When it comes to pollination, honey bees get a majority of the attention. However, many insects play a role in pollination. listen to University of Illinois Extension Educator Ken Johnson as he discusses native pollinators. Ken will discuss different native pollinators and how to make your...

Staff

Staff photo Shiba Kar

Shiba 'Shibu' Kar

Assistant Dean: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Program Leader. Associate Director of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant