Did you know that beetles, bats, butterflies, birds and even some small mammals help move pollen between plants, allowing them to reproduce? In 2016 Grapevine took the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. Through the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, U.S. cities, municipalities, and other communities are committing to create habitat for the monarch butterfly and pollinators, and to educate residents about how they can make a difference at home and in their community. Grapevine’s City Council unanimously voted in 2020 to become a Bee City USA®, joining many other cities and campuses across the country united in improving their landscapes for pollinators. The Council’s action is the culmination of months of effort by Keep Grapevine Beautiful and the Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department to accomplish this certification. View the full press release here. Find the resolution of City Council of Grapevine, Texas here: Resolution No. 2020- 008 2.
Bee City USA is an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, with offices across the country. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free of insecticides. Pollinators like bumble bees, sweat bees, mason bees, honeybees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and many others are responsible for the reproduction of almost ninety percent of the world’s flowering plant species and one in every three bites of food we consume. Check out our recommended native plant species list in the Management Recommendations for Native Insect Pollinators in Texas, Appendix A (pg 29) for Cross Timbers (pp 36-39) and Texas Blackland Prairies (pp 48-49). An additional plant list is available through Xerces Society.
If you’ve ever wondered exactly what bees are in your yard, go here to find a Bee Identification Guide, provided by Pollinator Partnership. Additional resources can be found by clicking on the logos below.
One recommended plant species is milkweed. The following area nurseries sell milkweed plants and seeds best suited to our area:
Stay tuned for information on pollinator-friendly activities the community has accomplished and our integrated pest management plan.
For more information, please contact the Bee City USA liaison, Kathy Nelson at 817.410.3394.