Getting to know our neighbors is important—they give us a chance to connect with our community, encourage us to get outside and offer help when we need it. Our “polli-neighbors” do the same things.
The main job of pollinators is to move pollen between flowers, helping plants set seed and reproduce. Without pollinators in our vegetable gardens, we would never harvest any tomatoes, squash, peppers, strawberries, or watermelon. The same is the case with other crops that rely on animal pollination, like almonds, chocolate, coffee, figs, and apples. Without pollinators in our Georgia habitats, our native plants could not survive and thrive.
The Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSePC) is the perfect chance to get outside and get to know our local polli-neighbors. Every 3rd weekend in August, Georgians (and now South and North Carolinians), record the pollinators they see. UGA faculty use these data to compare changes in pollinator populations from year to year and county to county. This helps us make better informed decisions about how to…
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