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Hi All,
We hope you had a restful holiday season. We have lots of fun webinars and content planned for 2026. This year we will be focusing on affordable and easy approaches to pesticide reduction, pollinator habitat, and fun community events to help you get things done, no matter what budget or staffing level -- and we'll continue to highlight helpful free resources and funding opportunities.
As we prep for the annual renewal report season (which starts Feb 1), we wanted to let you know we've expended the renewal window! We will be accepting renewal reports through May 31. We hope this fits better with your busy schedules.
Warm wishes,
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA team
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Study: Pesticide Sprays for Mosquitos May Kill Pollinators, Drift into Neighboring Yards
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A newly published study conducted in part by Xerces staff, has found that backyard mosquito sprays can kill pollinators—and easily travel into neighboring yards. The contamination levels were higher in yards sprayed by private companies than in yards sprayed by local mosquito control districts.
A warm thank you to those of you who volunteered your yards for this research! We really appreciate you helping make this study happen.
Read the Xerces Society press release
Read the study
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[Xerces Webinars] Bring Back the Pollinators Series
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The Xerces Society has a new webinar series for 2026 focused on our long-running Bring Back the Pollinators campaign (which will be getting new resources in the coming weeks). Bee City and Bee Campus affiliates may know a lot of what is covered, but these webinars should be good resources to share with your followers—feel free to invite them or share the recordings! You may also find the series helpful to develop your talking points when conducting outreach. Here are the first two webinars in the series:
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Bring Back the Pollinators: How You Can Save the Bees
Jan 22
10 AM PT / 11 AM MT / 12 PM CT / 1PM ET
Free
Learn more & Register
Matthew Shepherd and Aaron Anderson of the Xerces Society will introduce you to the diversity and natural history of North America’s native bees, and present straightforward ways in which you can make your garden—or neighborhood or city—a pollinator haven. Find out how to select flowers, provide nest sites, and why you should avoid pesticides. There are also community science projects to join in and other ways to engage your community.
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Bring Back the Pollinators: Tips & Lessons Learned
Feb 12
10 AM PT / 11 AM MT / 12 PM CT / 1PM ET
Free
Learn more & Register
There are many ways to create pollinator habitat in your backyard. From plants to overwintering habitat, one small step can make a difference. Join Jennifer Hopwood, Senior Pollinator Conservation Biologist and Rachel Dunham, Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator, to explore the steps people can take to build their own pollinator haven. From tips on sourcing plants to lessons learned, there is something for everyone.
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Closed Captioning will be available during these webinars. To request a reasonable accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact outreach@xerces.org.
These events will be recorded and posted to the Xerces Society YouTube channel
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If you know of a community that might be interested in becoming a Bee City or Bee Campus, we'd love to connect with them. We're particularly interested in those in Alaska or Hawaii, two states where we have no affiliates. Let us know at beecityusa@xerces.org.
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Host a Screening of the Documentary The Little Things that Run the World
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Are you planning your outreach activities for 2026? Consider hosting an in-person film screening of the documentary, The Little Things That Run the World. Showing a educational movie can be great way to support pollinator conservation while promoting your Bee City and Bee Campus work to a broader audience.
In this documentary, the filmmakers Doug Hawes-Davis and Dru Carr interviewed some of the leading voices in pollinator conservation and insect decline, including Doug Tallamy and Xerces Society's own Scott Black.
This film does a great job explaining the why of pollinator protection – and your Bee City or Bee Campus can be the how of pollinator conservation action.
Check out our screening toolkit for trailers, social media content, printable resources and much more. There are two options for screening, including an opportunity to request a free guest speaker! Screening Toolkit: Host a Screening of the Documentary The Little Things that Run the World
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[External Event] Two Bee ID Trainings
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Are you looking to improve you native bee ID skills? Here are some great in-person courses:
Midwest Bee Genus Identification Workshop
University of Minnesota Bee Lab and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are hosting a Midwest bee identification workshop. During this five-day-long workshop, you'll learn how to identify midwestern bees to genus (and a select few to species) and gain basic understanding of bee classification, nomenclature, bee morphology, and proper specimen curation.
- Location: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN
- Course Date: March 9-13, 2026
- Cost: $550. Reach out directly if the cost is a concern.
- How to apply: Complete this form to apply to participate in this workshop. Email questions to Jessica Petersen at jessica.d.petersen@state.mn.us.
- Apply by: January 26, 2026
The Bee Course
In partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, Cornell University, and the Southwestern Research Station, are proud to announce the 25th installment of The Bee Course. The course is designed to train students in bee identification and systematics, bee biology and ecology, and faunistics and faunal survey work. The course focuses on wild bees (not honey bees), and accepts applications from people with an academic, land-management, policy, or conservation background.
- Location: Southwestern Research Station in Portal, AZ
- Course Date: August 16-26, 2026
- Cost: Tuition is $1,200 with partial tuition waivers available and $850 for room and board.
- How to Apply: For more information on the course, including instructions on how to apply, a list of this year’s instructors, and course testimonials from previous offerings, please visit thebeecourse.org.
- Apply by: March 1, 2026
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[External Event] Solar Vegetation Management for Habitat
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Join Energy Resources Center at University of Illinois Chicago for a deep dive into habitat-focused vegetation management for solar installations! Featured presentations will showcase case studies, research, and best practices related to ecovoltaics, solar grazing, project design, and more.
During the second half of the webinar, attendees will be led through a guided discussion to identify current knowledge gaps, needs, and goals related to the featured topic.
Solar Vegetation Management for Habitat
Thursday, January 22
9 AM - 10:30 AM PT / 10 AM - 11:30 AM MT / 11 AM - 12:30 PM CT / 12 PM - 1:30 ET
Free
Register
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Have an event, funding opportunity, or volunteer opportunity you would like us to promote? Email beecityusa@xerces.org. If you have a Bee City/Campus login: you can add events here.
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Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society.
The Xerces Society is a donor-supported nonprofit organization that protects our world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.
Your tax-deductible donation will help grow and sustain that essential work.
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Image credits from top:
Header photo: Bee City USA - Grapevine, TX. Credit: Cindy Harris
Mosquito Study: Sara Morris
© The Xerces Society
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