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Idaho Fish and Game

Flag featuring a black and orange monarch butterfly and the words "milkweed for monarchs" staked into a grassy area next to a path

Pollinator events planned in Pocatello during National Pollinator Week

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National Pollinator Week runs June 22 through June 28!

This year, June 22 through June 28 marks National Pollinator Week! The Portneuf Pollinator Partnership composed of various community organizations will be celebrating pollinators during that week in Pocatello with fun, informative public events, culminating with a special celebration at Idaho Fish and Game’s Edson Fichter Nature Area.

A black and yellow bee hangs from a cluster of white flowers on a green plant
Bumblebees are important pollinators known for "buzz pollination", a technique where they vibrate their flight muscles to release pollen from flowers. Learn more facts like this one during the upcoming National Pollinator Week events happening in Pocatello later this month.

 

Come see what all the “buzz” is about!  All events are free and open to all ages unless otherwise noted.
 

Monday, June 22:

  • Guided plant walk led by Sawabi Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society. 9 a.m. Meet at the bison statue at the Idaho Museum of Natural History on the Idaho State University (ISU) campus for directions to a nearby off-site location. The exact location will be selected right before the hiking event based on where the best blooming vegetation can be found at that time. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather and off-trail hiking conditions with the potential for uneven, shrubby terrain. Hats, sunscreen, and water recommended. Family-friendly event. Beginners welcome.
     
  • Children’s Plant-based Watercolor Painting Class (youth K-8). 3 pm. Marshall Public Library
     

Tuesday, June 23:

  • Pollinator Paint Night (adults only). 6 p.m. $35. Jim Dandy Brewing, Lander Street
     
  • “Do you like chocolate? Thank a Pollinator!” Presentation by Idaho Fish and Game. 6 p.m.
    Idaho Museum of Natural History on the ISU campus. Be sure to reserve your free tickets at https://www.isu.edu/imnh/imnh-events/#d.en.307021.
     

Wednesday, June 24:

  • Meditative Walk.  7:30 a.m. Edson Fichter Nature Area. Meet at the amphitheater. 
     
  • Pollinator Garden Tour. 6 p.m. Meet at Sacajawea Park Pollinator Garden, Aspen Lane, for a tour of this beautiful and beneficial pollinator habitat.
     

Thursday, June 25:

  • An afternoon of both summer and America-themed music provided by Snake River New Horizons Band. 4 – 5 p.m. Edson Fichter Nature Area along the path to the bridge. Visitors are welcome to stroll through the nature area during the concert or bring a chair to sit and enjoy.
     

Saturday, June 27:

  • Morning Bird Walk. 7 a.m. Edson Fichter Nature Area. Meet at the amphitheater. All ages welcome. Please leave your dogs at home for this event.
     
  • Pollinator Celebration Day. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Edson Fichter Nature Area.
pollinator garden with colorful flowers with blue sky overhead
The pollinator garden at Edson Fichter Nature Area was developed and is maintained by the High Desert Chapter of the Idaho Master Naturalists. This garden not only serves a variety of area pollinators, it is a certified Monarch Waystation, providing essential habitat "rest stops" for migrating monarchs. Another pollinator garden is located at Sacajawea Park in Pocatello and will be the location of a special public tour during National Pollinator Week later in June.

 

The Pollinator Celebration Day on June 27 will offer information booths and fun activities that will promote the importance of Idaho’s pollinators to wildlife habitats and the agriculture industry.

Find out how to make your garden a home for our pollinator pals (including a plant give-away while supplies last). Visit the Monarch waystation and discover its role in butterfly migrations. Get a hands-on experience with 3D models of pollinating insects. Observe the talents of plein air artists in action. Enjoy a monarch migration game, pollinator displays, and more! Be sure to join us at noon at the Monarch Waystation as Mayor Dahlquist presents the official Pollinator Week Proclamation. And, keep an eye out for the stars of our event-- our pollinators!

All of the community pollinator events and activities this year are made possible through the efforts of the Portneuf Pollinator Partnership in cooperation with Friends of the Edson Fichter Nature Area, Idaho Fish and Game, the High Desert Chapter of Idaho Master Naturalists, Idaho Museum of Natural History, ISU Biological Sciences Department and ISU Counseling and Mental Health Center, Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust, Portneuf Soil and Water Conservation District, Portneuf Greenway, and the Sawabi Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society.

For more information about any of the pollinator activities and events listed, please contact Friends of Edson Fichter Nature at friendsofefna@gmail.com or the Portneuf Pollinator Partnership at Portneuf.Pollinator.Partnership@gmail.com.

A child in a white floppy hat makes a butterfly at an art station with adult help
Activities like this butterfly art station at the Pollinator Celebration Day at Edson Fichter Nature Area in Pocatello last year will be part of the fun at this year's event in June.
Woman in baseball cap holding a green milkweed plant while a woman in a pink shirt stands at the booth; pollinator poster in the foreground
Regional Habitat Biologist Maria Pacioretty with Idaho Fish and Game handed out free plants to the public at last year's Pollinator Celebration Day to help homeowners create pollinator habitats in their yards.
A large 3D model of a bee and an apple blossom under a large orange canopy
Idaho State University Department of Biological Sciences will once again bring its 3D insect and plant models to this year's Pollinator Celebration Day at Edson Fichter Nature Area.
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