As the weather warms and spring races toward summer, residents are ready to get outside. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah State University have offered suggestions on how we can help pollinators, even right here in the Uintah Basin. Utah is home to many unique species of pollinators, including five species of hummingbirds, 250 species of butterflies and over 900 species of native bees, including 21 species of bumble bees. Pollinators in Utah face extreme changing conditions and some are increasingly at risk due to declining populations. How can you help? When gardening in the yard or out hiking, actively look for bumble bees and monarch butterflies. Review the UPP data gathering protocol, so you are ready when you see one. Snap a photo or take a video, the closer you get, the better it is for identifying it. Then submit it through the app related to the species you found. Add native plants to your outdoor landscaping. Reduce the use of herbicides and insecticides that may be harming your native pollinators and provide suitable nectar and pollen sources that flower throughout spring to late fall. Work with local nurseries to decide what pollinator-friendly plants will work best here in the Uintah Basin.
