Pollinators

Join Monarch Nation
Monarch Nation is a national program for residents of all ages to get involved in actions to help Monarch butterflies and other species at risk in Canada. By joining the network of communities across Canada, you’ll be part of a movement to protect, raise awareness and have fun, while taking action to help these important species.

Tracking Migrations and Seasons
Journey North provides online support and tools to report and track sightings of pollinators and other species. The sightings are mapped in real-time as waves of migrations move across the planet. You can use Journey North to report sightings of pollinators, view maps, take pictures and leave comments. 

Insight Citizen Science
Insight Citizen Science is a mobile app designed to help citizens learn about North America’s essential pollinators and participate in observation-based research. The app includes an Insight Guide to learn about the observation process and how to identify pollinators. You can then record your findings and explore past observation data submitted by the citizen science community.  

Pollinator-Friendly Plant List
Credit Valley Conservation has compiled a list of beautiful pollinator-friendly native plants. Take a look and give some a try to attract and help butterflies, bees, moths and other important pollinators

Creating a Habitat
Toronto Region Conservation created an educational guide about the proper ways to create habitat in your own backyard. Providing habitat can give wildlife a greater chance of survival and the opportunity to maintain and increase their population.

The Pollinator Partnership Canada
The Pollinator Action Team/Pollinator Partnership Canada (P2C) provides Ontario ecoregional planting guides to help you select the best plants for pollinators in your region. They also welcome and encourage highly motivated individuals to apply to become volunteers and or to gain experience through internships.

Wildlife Preservation Canada
Wildlife Preservation Canada's mission is to save animal species at risk from extinction in Canada by providing direct, hands-on care. Several pollinating butterfly and bee species have recently been categorized as 'at risk' in Canada. Wildlife Preservation Canada's pollinator initiative aims to save these important insects from extinction.

Bumble Bee Watch
Bumble Bee Watch is a collaborative effort to track and conserve North America's bumble bees!

Feed the Bee's
Basic information regarding pollinators in Ontario and how to help them.

Monarch Waystations are places that provide monarch butterflies with the necessary resources to help the species survive and to assist them in completing their migration. By creating and maintaining these waystations, you will be contributing to Monarch Butterfly conservation. Visit Monarch Watch for more information.

How can you help? In order to counteract the extensive loss of milkweed and nectar sources, we need to create, conserve and protect monarch butterfly habitats. Creating a "Monarch Waystation", is as simple as adding milkweeds or other native plant nectar sources to existing gardens. These waystations can be set up anywhere, such as home gardens, schools, parks, businesses, or even along roadsides.

If you decide to participate, you can certify your new or existing monarch habitat to show that you are contributing to monarch conservation. Upon certification your site will be included in the International Monarch Waystation Registry, an online listing of Monarch Waystations, and you will be awarded a certificate bearing your name and site's unique Monarch Waystation ID number.

Create and register your garden here.

• Create a pollinator-friendly garden! Help reverse the loss of native pollinator habitat by planting and protecting native pollinator-friendly plants on your property.
• Choose a mixture of plants for spring, summer, and fall; different flower colours, shapes and scents will attract a wide variety of pollinators.
• Reduce or eliminate pesticide use, choose alternatives, or incorporate plants that attract beneficial insects for pest control.
• Provide clean water for pollinators with a shallow dish, bowl, or birdbath with half submerged stones for perches.
• Leave dead tree trunks in your landscape for wood nesting bees and beetles.
• Build a mason bee nest out of a recycled milk carton.
• Support organic agriculture.
• Take photos of bumble bees you see in North America and submit them to bumblebeewatch.org to help locate rare bumble bees and assist experts to learn more about Canadian bumble bees.

• Place a flat rock in a sunny area and sheltered location as a basking spot for butterflies to warm themselves on. Butterflies need warm temperatures to fly and feed.
• Select plants with bright, fragrant flowers that are tubular or flat-topped. These flowers are generally easier for adult butterflies to feed from with their long 'tongue' called proboscis.
• Create mud puddles in the garden. Butterflies use these as a source of water and nutrients. A small area of exposed soil in the garden is the perfect spot.
• Provide clean water for pollinators using a shallow dish, bowl, or birdbath with half submerged stones for perches.

• In 2022, the City partnered with Elexicon Energy to complete many pollinator initiatives this year, including the coordination of several planting events. Community groups and volunteers helped the City plant over 380 nectar-producing plants in 6 of Pickering’s pollinator gardens. Elexicon Energy also funded an educational exhibit at the Pickering Central Library, where visitors could watch and learn in person about the lifecycle of Painted Lady butterflies.
• Installed a raised pollinator garden bed at North Esplanade near Pickering City Hall, to increase pollinator awareness throughout the community.
• Partnered with Canada Bread Company Ltd. to help pollinators by expanding upon a naturalization project the company started the previous year. Members of Council, Canada Bread, and City Pay it Forward staff volunteers planted 300 pollinator-friendly plants.
• Assisted the Whitevale Arts and Culture Centre with expanding a pollinator garden at their Centre using funds from the City of Pickering’s grant program and the Retired Teachers Association fund.
• Created an interactive map of pollinator gardens to help residents explore the native plants, signs, and art within Pickering’s gardens.
• Provided garden training workshops to teach volunteers how to maintain healthy pollinator gardens.
• Installed a butterfly-shaped pollinator garden with nectar-plants and native species at Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson Community Centre. The garden is maintained by volunteers from the Community of Claremont.
• Undertook the Mayors' Monarch Pledge, recognized for being in the Leadership Circle.
• Installed a large pollinator garden in Diana, Princess of Wales Park in partnership with Valley Plentiful Community Gardening group.
• The City proclaimed August 22, 2020 as Flight of the Monarch Day. This is a nation-wide initiative being led locally by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to celebrate and bring awareness to the Monarch butterfly and other species at risk.
• Distributed packages of common milkweed seeds.
• Naturalized a previously mowed area in Ernie L. Stroud Park in collaboration with Dunbarton High School.
• Hosted educational garden workshops (i.e. Vegetable Garden, Plot to Plate, Bugs in Your Backyard, and more).
• Converted an annual flower garden in Rick Hull Memorial Park into an educational perennial pollinator garden in partnership with SoRo Good Neighbours and Rosebank Road Public School.
• Constructed a large water-efficient butterfly teaching garden in Amberlea Park in partnership with Highbush Public School and area residents.
• Commissioned a local Durham artist to create a large dynamic sculpture portraying the lifecycle of the Monarch butterfly, made entirely from reclaimed metal. Sculpture is located in Amberlea Park.
• Installed a large water-efficient pollinator garden in Ernie L. Stroud Park in collaboration with Dunbarton High School and Environmental Stewardship Pickering.
• Planted a butterfly meadow in David Farr Park.
• Collaborated with Ontario Power Generation, Environmental Stewardship Pickering, and Toronto & Region Conservation on numerous naturalization projects within Alex Robertson Park.
• Installed a pollinator garden at the Autumn Crescent Trail Head into Altona Forest, in cooperation with the Altona Forest Stewardship Committee and St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School.
• Cheerios provided the City with bee friendly wildflower seeds to share with our community. These seed packages were placed in many of our facilities, for members of the community to pick up and plant in their own yards.