The 2026 Great Southeast Pollinator Census is coming on August 21–22—will you be ready to help count? Join thousands of community scientists across the Southeast in one of the region’s largest pollinator conservation events. Daniel Stowe Conservancy is proud to participate for the second consecutive year, and we’re hoping to make 2026 our biggest Census yet!

How to Participate

  1. Choose a time slot for a free Info Session the days of the Census via the links below. On August 21 + 22 during the Census, Stowe staff will provide a brief orientation, survey materials and guidance before participants spread throughout the gardens to complete their official 15-minute pollinator count. Whether you attended a Lunch + Learn or are joining us for the first time, the session will prepare you to confidently participate in the Census. These Info Sessions are optional, but encouraged. If you opt to not attend an Info Session, you can still participate in the Census.
  2. Visit The Gardens at Stowe on Friday, August 21 and/or Saturday, August 22.
  3. Check in at the front desk at least five minutes prior to your Info Session time slot and they will direct you to our GSPC station in The Gardens and our staff will walk you through a brief orientation.
  4. Select a pollinator plant in The Gardens (our staff will provide recommendations) for counting. You will stay by that plant for 15 minutes and count and identify the insects that land on the plant.
  5. After your 15 minutes is up, submit your sheet to Stowe staff at the GSPC station and we will submit your count to the project-wide database!
  6. Check gsepc.org in the weeks and months following the Census to monitor census data. 

Leading up to the Census, we’re hosting two Lunch + Learn sessions hosted by Janet Manuel, Ecological Stewardship Manager, and Emma McGee, Horticulturalist.  This engaging series is 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.

Session 1 | Friday, August 7: Buzzing Beyond the Honey Bee: Native Pollinators You Never Knew
Discover the remarkable diversity of our native pollinators as we explore carpenter bees, bumble bees, wasps, and flies that quietly provide essential pollination services every day.

Session 2 | Friday, August 14: 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.

About the Great Southeastern Pollinator Census

The Great Southeastern Pollinator Census was launched in 2017 by the University of Georgia Extension as a way to teach gardeners, educators, students and the general public about insects and contribute valuable data about pollinator populations. As the project has evolved since then, the University of Georgia team defined three goals of the project:

  1. To create sustainable pollinator habitat by educating gardeners about using plants that provide nutrition for our pollinators while handling our summer droughts and do not have disease or pest insect pressure.
  2. To increase the entomological literacy of our citizens. We want students to go from “oooo, it’s a bug” to “look at the tarsal claw on that bee!”
  3. To generate useful data about our pollinator populations, so we can begin to spot trends and see how pollinator populations are affected by weather and how honey bees influence native bee populations.

FAQ (Click to view): 

We encourage school groups, gardeners, families and individuals to be a part of the project. You do not need to be an entomologist to partake; we ask for only basic insect identification. You can learn more about insect identification at one of our upcoming Lunch + Learn sessions. GSPC also offers online resources to help you prepare.

Choose a part of the plant to use for counting, maybe 2 feet by 2 feet, that you feel comfortable getting accurate counts.

The best way to prepare is by attending our Lunch + Learn sessions on August 7 + 14. (Scroll up to register!) If you can’t make the sessions, please head to gsepc.org and review their resources.

Yes, we are technically counting insect visits, not just the number of insects, so be sure to count each time any insect lands on your plant – regardless of whether it’s been there before.

Nope – the Info Sessions are available as resources, but you’re welcome to participate in the Census on your own time during your visit to Stowe on August 21 and/or 22.