Help us capture a snapshot of pollinator activity in communities across North Carolina, including the types of pollinators and which flowers they visit, and help build a southeast-wide data set with other states!
You don’t need to be an expert in insect identification! Anyone can participate!
We are proud to have the North Carolina Pollinator Conservation Alliance as a committed program partner!
Goals
To Inspire people to create sustainable pollinator habitats.
- To increase participants’ interest in and knowledge about pollinators.
- To collect data about the number and variety of pollinators and the flowers that attract them.
How it Works-On Friday, August 21, or Saturday, August 22:
Review the brief instructions: Insect Counting and Identification Guide, How to Count, and the Counting Sheet.
- Take a copy of the official datasheet, a pencil, a hat, a drink, and a chair.
- Identify a plant that has insects landing on it (anywhere in NC, SC, GA, AL, FL, or MS)
- Set a timer for 15 minutes.
- Fill out the datasheet by putting a tally mark next to the type of insect you see each time it lands on the plant (EVEN if you think it is the SAME insect)
- After 15 minutes, enter your data online using the QR code or URL at the top of the datasheet.
- You can record as many more 15-minute observations as you like through out the two data collection days.
You can do this by yourself or with a group. You can do it in your yard, in a park, in a botanical garden, on a nature trail, or on an attractive planter in the city!
To learn more about the Great Southeast Pollinator Census in NC, a website page has been established. It contains information about the 2026 Pollinator Census, the how-tos of hosting an event, and other educational resources. Join in and let's count pollinators...fun for both youth and adults.
