Bee City Moline

08/22/2026

Hello Moline!

Kids are back to school, the angle of the sun is changing, and something new is on the breeze lately. It’s not fall yet, but we’ll be there soon.

As one bloom season comes to a close, another opens. Do you have favorite autumn natives in your garden? Are you looking for some to try? Let me show you what’s in mine: still blooming, just starting, or getting ready.

Two facts about my garden:

🌼My yard is small (like so small I get comments about it).

🌼I have a mixture of native plants living in harmony with non natives.

I share this because I want to remind everyone that participating in Bee City goals doesn’t mean you need acres for a full prairie, or that you need to rip out every cultivar that brings you joy. Start small and learn as you go. You might be surprised by what becomes your favorite plants.

Feel free to share photos of yours in the comments!

08/19/2026

Hello Moline!

A combination of many rainy days, a busy schedule, and some technical difficulties (a perfect storm, if you will) bring us back-to-back photo collections this week.

Today I share with you my visit from last Friday, after the rains let up, to an incredible garden planted by Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District and their friends.

They shared a beautiful post earlier this month, showcasing the blooms at their peak splendor- go check it out! My visit looked a little different, but honestly just as beautiful to me.

On a cloudy, breezy, late-summer day. Mix in the sounds of crickets and birds, and the structural and textural beauty of maturing grasses and flower seed heads, and it gave me that first feeling of fall being right around the corner. A reminder to just slow down a little.

I’ve said it before, but as much as we love flowers- there is something special about seeing these natives entering into their resting state too. The photos don’t do justice, but I hope you enjoy the variety of textures, colors, and visiting insects.

This site is at the East end of Butterworth Park. I suggest bring your coffee, maybe a book (or just enjoy a quiet moment staring at the river like I did) to sit on the benches surrounded by this pocket of prairie.

08/07/2026

A free and informative webinar from
Xerces, the organization that brings us Bee City USA!

Your garden needs more butterflies. Let’s fix that! 🌻🦋

While adult butterflies can drink nectar from a variety of local plants, providing the resources they need for their whole life cycle is a bit more complex. Caterpillars of most butterflies can only eat a few different types of plants, and they need space to pupate into adults. Some species may be found as adults all summer long, while others may only be present for a week or two and need refuges to spend the rest of the year safe from predation and pesticides.

During this webinar, you’ll discover the key components of butterfly habitat, how butterflies use habitat throughout the year, and which plants can provide the high quality food that caterpillars need to complete their life cycle.

AUG 27
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PT
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM MT
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CT
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

The event is free! You can register now ➡️https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V8G5IRNDRfq9pBF4fqs_kg

📺 Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar. The webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel ➡️ xerces.org/youtube

08/06/2026

Hello Moline! 🐝

Today's spotlight focuses on one particular native plant: smooth sumac (Rhus glabra). While common - as the only woody plant that is native to all 48 contiguous states - it's no less special. Here are some facts about smooth sumac (not the poison one!)

🟠This tree-like shrub forms thickets and is perfect for stabilizing banks and hillsides. These thickets also offer crucial shelter for birds.

🟠They are great for pollinators as they have large flower-clustered summer blooms. They are loved by many native bee species and are host to over 50 native butterfly and moth caterpillars.

🟠The male and female flowers grow on separate plants and cooperate through a daily cycle of pollen and nectar production.

🟠The erect pyramidal clusters turn to berries that persist as food for birds and other small wildlife through the fall and winter.

🟠The deciduous leaves turn from green to orange and reds in early fall creating beautiful autumnal scenes.

These photos were taken at Prospect Park by Moline's Forestry Manager, but smooth sumac can be found throughout our region. Comment with a picture if you see some around town!

07/30/2026

☀🐝Another bee-autiful Thursday brings us to another bee-autiful spot in Moline!

Shoutout to Wild Ones Quad Cities Chapter for this great native site, planted next to the Floreciente Community Garden. Wild Ones is an awesome group that has been working with natives in the area long before Bee City came to Moline. Check out one of their meetings sometime!

07/28/2026

July 28 is World Nature Conservation Day, a globally shared day of recognition and awareness for protecting natural resources and maintaining biodiversity.

🌎🌱🐝🌳🦋

“In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but what we refuse to destroy.” — John Sawhill

07/23/2026

Happy Thursday, Moline! The weekend is almost here and these last few days have been such a lovely reprieve from the sweltering heat. A great opportunity to visit a local park, if your schedule allows.

For this week's spotlight, let's take a look at Sylvan Island Gateway Park. There is a lot happening here these days, so we'll focus in on one of several newer native plantings. We encourage you to go admire this and other sites in person when you get a chance - the photos barely do justice to all the rich diversity!

07/16/2026

Hello Moline!

We'd like to invite you to join us on a virtual weekly tour of pollinator hot spots around town - a bit of a "Where are the bees?" adventure.

So kick back with a cool drink (an iced coffee perhaps?) and take a look at our featured spot for week 1 - The Atlas Collective - Brews & Books 🧋📚

This garden was planted by business owner Kara Taghon and is an excellent example of how even a modestly sized space can be turned into pollinator habitat.

Let's take a look at what's growing and see if you can peep the visitors during today's quick photo shoot!

07/13/2026

Looking ahead to fall plantings- mark your calendars for a plant sale!