Last month we focused on the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census and how Florida residents and visitors could join in this citizen scientist project. Since this was only the second year Florida participated, we knew you would have lots of great questions!
Below is a recap of your inquiries and any references the panelists shared in case you wanted to dig deeper into the topic.
What is the Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSEPC) and what is the data used for? The pollinator census brings awareness of pollinators, encourages people to create habitat, and collects information that can be used to create baseline numbers and compare the population growth or decline over time.
How to identify bees, wasps, and other pollinators I see?
Luckily, you do not have to identify these insects to species – you only have to classify them into broad categories. Resources to help you spot key characteristics can be found here: Bees of Florida Pollinator Census Google Site
What time of day should I count?
Mornings and evenings are a great time to count because it is comfortable for the counter but also consider that time of day will affect the insects seen. For instance, many moths and beetles are active at night while honey bees are active during the day. Basically, there is no wrong time to count!
Will we be able to indicate which plants and whether or not they are native or non-native?
The GSEPC count sheet has a place for the plant name you are observing which can be common or scientific. There is not a designation on the form for native/non-native but if you use the scientific name that is easy to check when data is available. Great Southeast Pollinator Census Counting Sheet
How to best encourage neighbors to get involved? Print off some extra count sheets and invite people to join you or host a pollinator party!
What can we do to increase pollinators in our yards? Provide nesting habitats for native pollinators such as undisturbed bare ground, hollow stems, small debris piles, and pollinator hotels. Be sure to maintain pollinator hotels to encourage use.
Responsible use of pesticides – always read labels and avoid products with pollinator warnings. Pollinator Hotels
Plant diverse flowering plants to provide pollen and nectar and provide water resources. Simple Steps to Create a Pollinator Paradise in Your Landscape Provide Water for Pollinators
Are bumble bees a protected species?
There are almost 50 different bumble bee species in the United States, and not all live in Florida. Two are listed as protected species, one that occurs in Oregon and another in the Central Plains and may be in our area. The common species we see in Florida, American Bumble Bee and Eastern Bumble Bee are not currently listed as protected or endangered. Find a Species | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Resources for Schools and Home Schools Some public libraries have “Seed Libraries” and give out seed which may be appropriate for pollinators. Seedlings for Schools Grants
Balance of controlling pests in vegetable garden but still welcoming pollinators.
Be tolerant of damage! Regardless of your tolerance level of damage be sure to use Integrated Pest Management strategies which may include trap crops, cover crops, and scouting regularly so you can catch pests early and hand pick when possible. If a pesticide is needed, use very specific targeted products such as Bt, soaps, or oils instead of broad-spectrum pesticides. (Always ensure products are listed for use on vegetable gardens and follow labels). Pesticide Labeling – A Guide to Users
Do you need a license to keep honey bees?
A license is not required; however, all bee hives must be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Beekeeper Registration– Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services UF/IFAS Research and Extension Honey Bee Lab has great resources for beekeepers!
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We are just around the corner from the 2025 Great Florida Pollinator Census, and we need your help!
2024 was the first year Florida joined the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, a pollinator stewardship project launched by University of Georgia in 2017. In our inaugural year we recorded over 89,000 insects in 55 of 67 counties in Florida which is no small task, but wouldn’t it be great if at least one person in each county of the state took 15 minutes to observe pollinators?
How can you help?
Join the census yourself on August 22nd and 23rd and share information about the census with your friends and family in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama to maximize this valuable citizen scientist project!
Additional resources and a few upcoming events!
Great Southeast Pollinator Census Great Florida Pollinator Census Facebook Group August 21st Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Great Southeast Pollinator Census – Bee a Citizen Scientist! Webinar August 22, 2025 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. CDT Pollinator Count at the UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County Demonstration Gardens, 3740 Stefani Rd, Cantonment, FL. Drop in during the times listed to join a 15-minute count, no registration required. For questions contact Beth Bolles at bbolles@ufl.edu August 22, 2025 9:00 – 9:30 a.m., 12-12:30 p.m., or 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. CDT, Count Pollinators with us at the UF/IFAS Extension Washington County Office, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL. Three designated times for guided pollinator counts, no registration required. For questions contact Julie McConnell at juliebmcconnell@ufl.edu August 22, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. EDT, Pollinator Census with UF/IFAS Extension Taylor County, 203 Forest Park Dr, Perry, FL. For questions contact Lisa Strange, lstrange@ufl.edu August 22nd & 23rd 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EDT,The Great Southeast Pollinator Census in Brevard County, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Extension Office, 3695 Lake Dr, Cocoa, FL. Class and pollinator count, free but requires registration through Eventbrite. For questions contact Sally Scalera, sasc@ufl.edu Friday August 22nd ticket or Saturday August 23rd Ticket
Sunflower after the rain. Photo: J. McConnell, UF/IFAS
Summer showers are finally giving gardens relief, but in addition to happy flowers, mosquitoes are also benefitting from the rainfall. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but they can also transmit diseases and parasites to people, pets, and livestock so managing them on your property is a matter of public health!
The knee-jerk reaction to mosquitoes is to try to kill the blood-sucking flying fiends, but targeting this life stage will not solve the mosquito problem. Instead, focus your efforts on breaking up the breeding cycle to reduce the population. Less ideal breeding sites equals less larvae (juvenile mosquitoes) and pupae which equals less biting adults!
A female black salt marsh mosquito emerges from submerged pupal skin. UF/IFAS File Photo
In addition to being more effective than targeting adults that can fly away or avoid insecticides, most of your breeding site reduction methods are free or low cost; the biggest investment is your time! Step one is to recognize potential breeding sites on your property. Most people recognize that a stack of tires, buckets full of water, or even that decorative bird bath are potential breeding sites but there are also less obvious ones. A covered grill that has an indention that holds a few tablespoons of water, boats or kayaks, children’s toys, gutters that have accumulated leaves or other debris, the saucer under your container plant, or the leaf axils of bromeliad plants are all potential breeding sites.
So, what do you do about this? When practical dump or drain out the water every 3-4 days and wipe down any vertical surfaces of containers where mosquito eggs could be laid. If you are unable to drain or dump, consider treating the water with Bti (Bacillus thuriengiensis israelensis) which is a targeted biological control that only affects mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats. Bti is a naturally occurring bacteria that impacts the digestive system of a few select species in the order Diptera (flies). It is not toxic to people, pets, or wildlife and depending on the formulation can last several weeks before reapplication is necessary. Commonly sold as “mosquito dunks” or “mosquito bits” this insecticide is sold at garden centers and home improvement stores and is relatively inexpensive. As with any pesticide, follow all instructions on the label.
When I walk around the garden every day I take a little inventory of how things are growing, what is flowering, and am always on the lookout for new bugs I haven’t seen before. This past week I was pleasantly surprised by what at first I thought was a bee with a long mouthpart (proboscis), but soon realized it was not a bee at all!
This small, flying insect buzzed up to purple flowers on several plants in my garden. The body was covered in golden hairs with some black showing through giving it that distinctive bee look. The proboscis was so long in proportion to the rest of the insect that it reminded me of the beak on a hummingbird. Still thinking it was a bee of some kind I started trying to get a picture and that is when I saw the telltale antennae and eyes that clued me in that this was not a bee at all, but rather some type of fly.
So, what was this strange looking insect? It is a bee mimic commonly called a bee fly (Bombylius spp.). The bee fly not only looks like a bee, but it takes advantage of native bees to support its young. The female bee fly watches where a ground dwelling solitary bee makes her nest and as she forages for pollen to feed her young the bee fly drops an egg nearby. After hatching the bee fly larva makes its way into the real bee’s nesting chamber and eats the pollen provisions then eats the bee larva. Since solitary ground dwelling bees tend to aggregate in similar suitable locations, I can only guess that the bee fly’s clever disguise prevents it from drawing attention as a threat to the hardworking bee.
Some years it can be hard to tell that the season has shifted from winter to spring in Northwest Florida, but this year we are seeing ideal temperatures for summer vegetable gardens as we shift into April. Soil temperature is affected by ambient temperature and the last few weeks of warm weather has helped to make the ground more conducive to germination of warm season seeds and support growth of transplants. If you have not started your garden yet, do not despair, you still have time to get things growing!
Below is a short list of ideas for your vegetable garden, and you can find more detailed information in the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide.
Direct seed (plant seeds directly into the garden instead of transplant) recommendations:
Last month we focused on the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census and how Florida residents and visitors could join in this citizen scientist project. Since this was only the second year Florida participated, we knew you would have lots of great questions!
