Lunch + Learn: Pollinator Discovery Series
August 7 + August 14 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
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!
Join Janet Manuel, Ecological Stewardship Manager, and Emma McGee, Horticulturalist, for this engaging Lunch & Learn series 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.
Whether you're a gardener, photographer, naturalist, or simply curious about the insects around you, you'll leave with practical identification skills and a deeper appreciation for the remarkable diversity of pollinators that call the Piedmont home.
Participants are encouraged to bring a smartphone or camera to photograph pollinators during the field portion of the program.
Each session includes hands-on instruction for participating in the 2026 Great Southeast Pollinator Census, an annual community science initiative that asks volunteers to spend just 15 minutes observing and counting pollinators. The data collected helps researchers, land managers, educators, and conservation organizations better understand pollinator populations, habitat use, and long-term trends while supporting conservation efforts across the Southeast. Whether you participate at Daniel Stowe Conservancy or in your own backyard, you'll be contributing valuable information that helps protect these essential species.
Class Details
- Time: 12:30–1:30 PM
- Location: Daniel Stowe Conservancy - Garden Pavilion
- Cost: Free with Garden Admission
- Capacity: Limited to 20 participants per session
- Food: Outside food is not permitted. Lunch and refreshments are available for purchase from the Big Leaf Café. Participants are welcome to purchase lunch to bring to the program and enjoy while learning!
- Note: Participants may choose to sign up for one or both sessions and the sessions are not required to participate in the Census event in August
- To sign up for both sessions add a ticket for each date to your order.
Session 1 – August 7
Buzzing Beyond the Honey Bee: Native Pollinators You Never Knew
Think all bees look alike? Think again!
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. Learn how to distinguish these often-misunderstood species, observe their unique behaviors in the garden, and discover why many of them are even more effective pollinators than honey bees,
The field portion of the class will focus on finding and identifying these insects among Stowe's summer blooms while practicing observation techniques used during the Great Southeast Pollinator Census.
Session 2 – August 14
Wings of Wonder: Honey Bees, Small Bees, Butterflies & Other Tiny Pollinators
Some of our most important pollinators are also the easiest to overlook.
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.
We'll head outdoors to photograph and observe pollinators in action while practicing the simple survey methods used for the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. You'll leave prepared to participate in the Census and contribute meaningful data that helps protect pollinator populations across the Southeast.
Come discover the incredible diversity of life buzzing, fluttering, and flying through the gardens while learning how your observations can make a real difference for conservation.