Gardening for Pollinators Spring 2024

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Course description: This online course will introduce you to two major groups of pollinators, bees and butterflies. You will learn about common species in Florida, their biology, and what resources they need to thrive. Students will explore ways to create gardens to support pollinators, including best plants for pollinators, garden maintenance, and garden design for different types of spaces.

Requirements: This course is best done on a computer (laptop or desktop, PC or Mac). It is not optimized for a smartphone or tablet.

CEUs: Master Gardeners may be able to get CEUs for this course and should check with their MGV coordinator. We expect this course will take ~8 hrs and therefore recommend asking for 8 unit hours upon course completion.

Learning objectives: After completing this course, students will be able to:

1.       Describe the importance of pollinators and their role in native, agricultural, and urban/residential ecosystems

2.       Identify common pollinators in Florida with an emphasis on bees and butterflies

3.       Apply knowledge of pollinator biology to the design and maintenance of pollinator gardens

4.       Understand the value of gardens and managed landscapes for pollinator conservation

5.       Select best plants for bees and butterflies in Florida

Course instructors: Dr. Rachel Mallinger, Assistant Professor of Entomology at UF, specializes in wild bee biology and conservation; Dr. Jaret Daniels, Professor of Entomology and Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, is an expert in butterfly research and conservation; Wayne Hobbs, county extension agent in Clay County, is an environmental horticulture agent and Master Gardener coordinator

Contact: If you have any questions about this course, please contact Dr. Rachel Mallinger at rachel.mallinger@ufl.edu