Attracting Native Pollinators (A Xerces Society Guide Book)

The Original Handbook of Pollinator Conservation

Somehow a decade has passed since the first publication of this book. When it first arrived in the world, the public interest in pollinators was mostly limited to honey bees and everyone wanted to be a beekeeper.

Since then (and in no small part due to this book) wild pollinators found their way into public awareness and newfound native bee experts have published dozens of similar books – many of them pretty good.

And yet, there are still few books on pollinator conservation of this scale. At almost 400 pages in length, this is essentially an “idea guide,” consisting of an incredibly diverse range of fundamental concepts that a reader can use as a jumping off point for further research and exploration:

• The biology of wild bees, butterflies, and other pollinators such as various wasps, flies, beetles, and more
• Threats to pollinators
• Identifying and conserving overwintering, nesting, and egg-laying habitat
• Balancing pollinator conservation with land management practices such as mowing, grazing, prescribed burning, and invasive weed management
• Engaging and mobilizing local stakeholders for pollinator conservation
• Creating pollinator habitat in home, school, and community gardens
• Pollinator conservation in natural areas, golf courses, and corporate campuses
• Integrating wild pollinator habitat into farm systems
• An extensive compendium of recommended plants for pollinator habitat projects, organized by region and habitat type, including plants for: meadows, hedgerows, forests, small gardens
• Recommended host plants for various butterfly species
• A directory of major native bee genera of North America, including identifying physical characteristics, life history information, and habitat associations

If you wanted only one guide to understanding and conserving native pollinators, this always was, and still is, the most comprehensive attempt ever undertaken.

385-pages / paperback

Publisher’s list price: $29.95 / Our Price: $27.00