Wings of Wonder: Honey Bees, Small Bees, Butterflies & Other Tiny Pollinators

Friday, August 14 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Garden Pavilion | Free with admission or Membership

Join Janet Manuel, Ecological Stewardship Manager, and Emma McGee, Horticulturalist, for this engaging Lunch & Learn series designed to help you discover, identify, and appreciate the incredible diversity of pollinators found throughout our region. Each session combines an interactive classroom discussion with guided outdoor observation, giving participants the opportunity to identify pollinators in their natural habitat while learning how their behavior supports healthy ecosystems.

Each session includes hands-on instruction for participating in the 2026 Great Southeast Pollinator Census, an annual community science initiative that asks volunteers to spend just 15 minutes observing and counting pollinators. The data collected helps researchers, land managers, educators, and conservation organizations better understand pollinator populations, habitat use, and long-term trends while supporting conservation efforts across the Southeast. Whether you participate at Daniel Stowe Conservancy or in your own backyard, you’ll be contributing valuable information that helps protect these essential species.

Session 2: Wings of Wonder: Honey Bees, Small Bees, Butterflies & Other Tiny Pollinators

This session highlights honey bees, small native bees, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects, exploring how each contributes to healthy gardens, native landscapes, and resilient ecosystems. Learn where to find them, how to identify them, and which native plants best support their life cycles. We’ll head outdoors to photograph and observe pollinators in action while practicing the simple survey methods used for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. You’ll leave prepared to participate in the Census and contribute meaningful data that helps protect pollinator populations across the Southeast.