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NEW! Free Printable Low Mow Zone Yard Sign
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Are you mowing less and adding native flowers to a lawn or field to feed the bees? Our new two-sided bilingual (Spanish and English) Low Mow Zone sign, helps let people know that what you are doing is purposeful.
Designed for Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates, but available for anyone to use, the file is a standard yard sign (18" x 24"), but will print well at smaller sizes.
Download it to print at home or work, or send it to a printing service of your choice.
And stay tuned for new "Bee Friendly Lawns" content next month!
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Other Habitat Sign Options
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Still in the process of installing habitat? Xerces also has a free printable “Pollinator Habitat In Progress” sign:
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This file (18" x 24" standard yard sign) is written in English and can be downloaded and printed at home or work, or sent to a printing service of your choice.
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Don't want to print a sign yourself? Check out the Xerces Gift Center's premade signs, available for a donation:
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Central US Regional Meeting May 7
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Join us online for our Central US regional meeting! We are giving the floor -- well, screen -- to Bee Cities and Bee Campuses to share case studies of any of their events, pollinator research, habitat work, or pesticide reduction strategies.
This is a chance to celebrate successes, ask for advice, and connect with your fellow affiliate cities and campuses.
Central US Online Regional Meeting
Thursday, May 7
12 PM MT / 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET
Feel free to join us if you are a Bee City or Bee Campus affiliate in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, or Wisconsin.Register Here
If you would like to be featured in the Central US regional meeting, email the following info to beecityusa@xerces.org by Friday, May 1:
- 1-2 high resolution photos (with photo credit), and
- A short event/activity description
Selected presenters will have 5-10 minutes to speak, depending on the number of submissions we receive. There will be plenty of time for questions and group discussion.
This free Bee City USA webinars will be recorded and available in the Bee City USA eNewsletter or upon request. Closed Captioning will be available during each webinar.
We'll post all 3 meetings in May's eNewsletter.
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Not a Bee City or Campus but Interested in Joining Us?
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Do you want to make your community a Bee City USA or Bee Campus USA affiliate? We’d love to help! Join us for an overview of the application process and commitments, along with tips for organizing a BCUSA campaign. Whether you are a home gardener, city manager, professor, student, or just interested in saving the bees, there can be a role for you to make community more pollinator friendly.
How to Help Your Community Become a Bee City or Bee Campus
May 21
10 AM PT / 11 AM MT / 12 PM CT / 1 PM ET
Register Here
This webinar will be recorded and available on the Xerces Society YouTube channel on the Bee City USA Playlist. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.
To request a reasonable accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact outreach@xerces.org.
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Laura Rost
National Coordinator
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA
The Xerces Society
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Carly Hirschmann
Community Engagement Specialist
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA
The Xerces Society
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- Del Rey Oaks, CA
- Flat Rock, NC
- Southern Arkansas University, AR
- SUNY Buffalo State University, NY
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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Your Guide to PFAS Pesticides: Simple Steps To Protect People and Pollinators
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Did you know many pesticides also contain forever chemicals such as PFAS? These chemicals can have impacts on people and pollinators. Luckily there are steps everyone can take to protect themselves and our wild invertebrate neighbors. Read more
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Earth Week is next week and Earth Day is, as always, April 22 -- next Wednesday. To help you celebrate, here is our online Earth Week Promo Kit with pollinator themed outreach tools, event ideas, talking points, and more.
We're premiering some great new resources in this kit, including new resources, like:
Check out your 2026 Earth Week Promo Kit
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Renewal Reports Due May 31
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It's time to renew! Each year, Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA affiliates share a renewal report and pay a renewal fee. We’ve expanded the reporting period, so you now have from February 1 to May 31, 2026 to share your 2025 work and pay your renewal fee.
Please note: we have a new check payment address as of 3/2/2026:
Xerces Society
PO Box 739563
Dallas, TX 75373-9563
Who is due to report and pay?
- If your community was FIRST certified in 2024 or earlier, you are due to report and pay this year.
- If your community was FIRST certified in 2025, you do not need to report or pay until 2027.
- If your community was FIRST certified in 2026, you do not need to report or pay until 2028.
- If your community was one of the first 61 Bee Cities and Bee Campuses, just fill out the renewal report. You are an "early adopter" and do not need to pay the fee.
More info: How To Prepare Your Bee City Or Bee Campus Report
Thank you to everyone who has already finished their reports and paid. We'll be in touch when your report is approved. Questions? Need help logging in? Email beecityusa@xerces.org.
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BCUSA Disaster Relief Project Funding Available
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Was your Bee City or Bee Campus pollinator habitat recently affected by a natural disaster? Bee City USA has limited funding available to assist affiliates in restoring habitat and other pollinator conservation resources destroyed by natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires through its Disaster Relief Project Funding (DRPF).
The purpose of DRPF is to support affiliates in fulfilling the purpose and goals of the Bee City USA initiative.
Deadline: Within 6 months of the natural disaster.
Funding Amount: Up to $1,000 per applicant Bee City/Campus one time. Funding will be distributed by reimbursement on the basis of receipts submitted.
Eligible Entities: Bee City USA or Bee Campus USA in good standing (i.e. You have reported/renewed, if due in 2026).
Learn more and apply
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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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NEW Application and renewal fee address:
The Xerces Society
PO Box 739563
Dallas, TX 75373-9563
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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:
Central US Meeting: Bryn Scriver (Bee Campus USA - University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI)
Joining BCUSA webinar:
- Jalia Killings (Bee City USA - Norcross, GA)
- Laura Rost
- Carly Hirschmann
PFAS & Pesticides: Praxis Eco Pest Control, CC BY 2.0
Earth Week (L to R):
- Bee City USA - Hillsborough NC.
- Dr. Julie Mustard (Bee Campus USA - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)
- Sean Downing (Bee City USA - River Falls, WI)
© The Xerces Society
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