Stinky Flowers and the Pollinators That Love Them

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens honors the impact of National Pollinator Month each June by highlighting the essential role pollinators play in supporting biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and nearly one out of every three bites of food we eat.

Join us for a lecture and Q&A with renowned biodiversity explorer and Naturalist, Damon Tighe. When most people think of pollinators, they think of bees. California has over 1,500 species of native bees, and the honey bee is not one of them. However, in this talk, we are going to look at another group of winged arthropods that deserves a fresh PR campaign: flies. We will dive into these important pollinators and look at the native plants they pollinate.

The Details

• The class will include an indoor lecture at the MCBG Farmhouse/Education Center.
• We recommend bringing along drinking water, a notebook, and a pen.

Extra Exploration

Take a deeper dive into the fascinating world of pollinators by pairing the talk and field walk for a full day of discovery. After exploring the often-overlooked importance of flies and other native pollinators during the talk, join Damon Tighe in the gardens for a hands-on opportunity to spot, photograph, and better understand the pollinators and plants that keep our ecosystems thriving.