You Can ‘Bee’ Part Of A Fun Pollinators Census In The Carolinas
Pollinators are out and about all around the Carolinas this summer helping things to grow and thrive. These pollinators are also the center focus of a new community-wide STEM project this year.
A community-wide STEM project is currently taking place and it’s easy for anyone to get involved according to WCNC Charlotte. The project is simple, get a head count of pollinators, like insects, when they land on your favorite plants.
The host for the pollinator count event is the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. It’s sort of like people-watching or bird-watching, except instead you’re watching insects.
The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is one of three different studies to collect data on pollinators because of the key role they play in our food sources. This two-day event starts on August 18th through August 19th and is across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. During this event you identify, collect, and upload your data on various insects.
Anyone can participate in this project according to cooperative extension including students, educators, master gardener groups, coworkers, and families.
The process for starting is simple. You start by choosing a plant, then you watch it for 15 minutes. During that time you count the number of visitors. After you do this you upload your information to the online portal. You’re watching for bees, wasps, butterflies, and many other pollinators.
The data you share will be used to look at long-term trends.
The best time to get the most pollinators should be in the morning. They will be less active on hot, rainy, or windy days.
This can actually be fun for you and your family. See who can find the most pollinators. These are all very important to humans. So I hope the count is very high. Please remember to protect yourself from stings. Some of these pollinators have a nasty way of saying leave me alone.
These are the Keystone Native Plants for North Carolina
New research shows an increase of 1 in 3 people now purchasing native plants and gardening for wildlife. Why are natives so important?
Native plants are the core of the wildlife habitat garden. Even small-scale native plant gardens that incorporate blooming plants for multiple seasons are proven to increase pollinator abundance and diversity. Within days or even moments after native plants are introduced to a space, wildlife can appear. Research shows wildlife habitat gardens support 50% more wildlife than surrounding conventional landscapes.
Not only do natives support more local wildlife, but they are more suited to withstand the climate in North Carolina. For example, trees native to storm-prone regions are more likely to withstand high winds. North Carolina’s state bird, the cardinal -30% of its diet relies on insects these many native plants provide.
Why should they replace such trees and shrubs?
Plants such as ornamental pear, taxus, barberry, as considered exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world or were cultivated by humans into forms that don’t exist in nature do not support wildlife as well as native plants. Occasionally, they can even escape into the wild and become invasives that destroy natural habitats. Not only do they destroy and crowd out native plants, but they don’t support local wildlife.
Learning More
Replacing invasives with native plants reverses the dominance of non-beneficial plants in the landscape, a key contributor to habitat loss that has hurt many wildlife species. By doing so, you’ll cut down on the amount of water, pesticides, and fertilizers you use. Native plants are low-maintenance. They help the environment the most when planted in places that match their growing requirements. They will thrive in the soils, moisture, and weather of your region. That means less supplemental watering, which can be wasteful, and pest problems that require toxic chemicals. Native plants also assist in managing rainwater runoff and maintaining healthy soil as their root systems are deep and keep soil from being compacted. They also minimize further negative impacts on wildlife and pollution of local water resources.
Country 103.7’s funniest guy in town is none other than Rob Tanner with Tanner in the Morning! Rob Tanner has been the host of WSOC-FM's Tanner in the Morning Show in Charlotte, NC for 20 years. The show was named the 2018 ACM Major Market Personalities of the Year. He is well-versed in all topics in country music. Tanner also is a sports junkie who writes about any Carolina sports team, and he and his wife Missy spend most of their down exploring theme parks. He writes Disney insider content.
