Help the Bees By Becoming a Pollinator Champion
In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
Stroll in public green spaces these days, and you may see signs denoting pollinator gardens. Scroll social media, and you may see posts begging you to save bees.
“In recent years, people have become more concerned about the health and well-being of bees and other pollinators,” says Ana Heck, Michigan State University apiculture Extension educator.
In fact, Michigan has more than 400 native species of bees, Heck says, including one endangered species, the rusty patched bumblebee, that hasn’t been seen in the state in more than 20 years.
“The thing is, there’s something that every person can do to support pollinators,” Heck says.
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Pollinators 101
Entomologist and pollinator expert Dr. Meghan Milbrath saw this uptick in interest when she arrived at MSU in 2015 and was inundated with questions.
“When I got started I had so many requests about giving talks and providing education on pollinators, and I really couldn’t meet them all,” Milbrath says.
As an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and the program coordinator for the MSU Pollinator Initiative, Milbrath’s appointment is statewide, so it was difficult for her to respond to every question or request.
“But I knew I was getting the same questions over and over,” she says, which was often about the basics of pollination.
Milbrath’s solution? In 2019, MSU launched Pollinator Champions, a free, self-paced online course packed with videos, articles and fun activities to allow anyone to learn about the amazing world of pollinators and pollination.
“The goal of the course is twofold: to provide education for people who are curious and want to help pollinators and also to mobilize students who want to go a step further to help spread the information,” Milbrath explains.
Toward that second goal, participants can opt to pay a small fee to receive a certificate and materials, equipping them to give presentations about pollinators in the future.
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Everyone Is Welcome
Anyone and everyone is welcome to complete Pollinator Champions. You do not have to be an MSU student or even live in Michigan. You can enroll whether you’re a Master Gardener, homeschool parent, insect enthusiast or anyone else – but it’s especially for people who are interested in helping pollinators, Milbrath says.
Designed primarily for an adult audience, the course should take around six hours to complete, with plenty of linked resources to explore further. Plus, if you already have your MSU Extension Master Gardener certification, completing this course can count as six hours of continuing education credits, Milbrath explains.
A World of Champions
Since its inception in 2019, more than 3,300 people have taken the free online course, and at least
560 have received the optional certification. MSU maintains and updates the material with new resources about once a year.
The course’s reach continues to expand, and Heck promotes it as part of her apiculture Extension work. While speaking on a different topic at a local beekeeping club recently, some general questions about pollinators arose. Heck asked if there were any Pollinator Champions in the group. A mother and daughter raised their hands, and at a later meeting, they gave the Pollinator Champions presentation to the club.
While helping pollinators is a complex issue, Milbrath says this course is a starting point for people and part of the solution.
“Figuring out what each individual can do to make the world – and Michigan – a little bit better for bees and other pollinators is a big step in the right direction,” Heck says.
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Generating More Buzz
Michigan State University buzzes about pollinators with a multitude of opportunities for you to learn about their important work and how you can help. Whether you are a beekeeper or someone who wants to give pollinators a leg up, check out these resources to learn how beginners and experts alike can help pollinators in their backyard.
Visit pollinators.msu.edu for more information, including a page about “Should You Keep Bees?” and “Getting Started with Beekeeping.”
Take the “Is Beekeeping Right for Me?” online course. (Spoiler: Beekeeping is not necessarily the best way to help pollinators.) Click here to learn more.
Already a beekeeper? Check out Michigan State University Beekeeping on YouTube.
Are you a pesticide applicator? Try MSU’s free course on Pollinator Protection for Pesticide Applicators, which counts as one RUP (restricted use pesticide) credit. Click here to learn more.