University of MN Bee Squad

08/19/2026

Are your pollinator plants starting to look a bit crispy? Late season droughts are becoming more common and severe. Create a climate resiliant pollinator garden by planting more drought tolerant pollinator plants with the help of this list assembled by the Bee Lab's Ben Ziegler and Elaine Evans. https://beelab.umn.edu/climate-resilient-pollinator-plants

08/14/2026

Help scientists from the Bee Lab find bumble bees!

🐝 Bumblebee Participatory Science Program

Join entomologists from the University of Minnesota this Saturday for a guided community bee survey at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary!

📅 August 15
🕐 1–3 p.m.
📍 Meet at the Garden’s front gate

All ages are welcome! Come learn about bumblebees, help with important community science, and explore the Garden with local entomologists.

🐝🌼 This is our final bumblebee survey for 2026. We hope to see you there!

08/04/2026

We recently hosted a group of UMN Veterinary students in one of our teaching apiaries while they were on a beekeeping rotation. Glad that the upcoming generation of veterinarians is learning about honey bee health!

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/science/honeybees-veterinary-medicine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.21A.rKUD.F6jbB2_kZMJP&smid=nytcore-android-share

07/23/2026

TODAY is the Pollinator Party! Join us from 5-8pm at Lyndale Park Gardens to celebrate bees and pollinators, eat honey ice cream, and enjoy live music.

07/17/2026

The pollinator garden at the UMN Bee Lab is one of the stops on the Falcon Heights Garden Tour tomorrow! Bee Lab native plant expert Thea Evans will be on hand to answer questions about the garden.

Join us on tomorrow from 9:00am to noon for the Falcon Heights Lawn & Garden Tours!

The event showcases beautiful and sustainable gardens throughout the community. For more information, visit https://www.falconheightsmn.gov/303/Lawn-Garden-Tours

07/16/2026

Hive frogs & toads! 🐸🐝

These sneaky guys we often see hanging on our honey bee colonies! Probably seeking some shade and protection from birds 🦅and other predators while also feasting on the small critters around the hive (earwigs, ants 🐜, etc.). Seems like the bees don’t mind these jumping friends and neither do we 📸🐸🐸🐸

Photo credit: Jessica Helgen and Clara Costello

Why was the frog upset? 🐸
His car got toad ): 🚗

07/13/2026

Counting down the days. 10 days until the Pollinator Party at Lyndale Park Gardens .