Pollinators
All Pollinators Content
Crops
During the growing season, SDSU Extension provides weekly production recommendations.
Landscaping Best Practices for Pollinators and Beyond
Our yards are all part of a greater ecosystem. By incorporating some best practices into your landscaping routine, your yard can develop healthier soil, support more pollinators, and reduce the need for pest control.
Planting for Specialist Butterflies
Monarchs are not the only specialist pollinators in South Dakota. Many other butterflies also require a specific plant or family of plants to lay eggs on. Learn about some important host plants to help specialist butterflies in your yard!
Generalist Host Plants in South Dakota
Many butterflies and moths are generalists, meaning that their larva can use a variety of host plants as food. Learn about some of the best host plants you can grow in your yard to support butterflies, moths, and everything that relies on them!
The Seen and Unseen World of Invertebrates and Vegetables: The good, the bad, and the cute
The seen and unseen worlds of invertebrates in our gardens offer an opportunity to understand how each organism plays a crucial role in the balance of our environment, whether they are good, bad, or even cute.
Time to Spray Sunflowers: Don’t Forget About the Pollinators
As sunflowers in South Dakota begin to reach the flowering stages, it is important to remember that, in addition to insect pests, there are also pollinators visiting these flowers.
It’s a Bee! It’s a Wasp! No, It’s a Hover Fly!
Many types of insects are responsible for some degree of pollination in landscapes. In this article, we will focus on the syrphid fly as both an important pollinator and a beneficial insect predator.
Beneficial Pollinators: Honey Bees and Bicolored Striped-Sweat Bee
With temperatures increasing in South Dakota, expect to see an increase of beneficial pollinators searching for blooming plants. Learn about two important pollinators, the honey bee and the native bicolored striped-sweat bee.
Five Range Management Principles: #3 Ecosystem Biodiversity
Milkweed can help make rangelands a better environment for both cattle and neighboring plants and animals by having a shielding effect on companion plants, preventing erosion and accelerating the decomposition process, whole also providing nectar, habitat and organic material for ecosystem services.
Garden-friendly Milkweeds to Plant in South Dakota
Are you looking to add native plants to your home garden this season? Consider expanding your garden palette with milkweed species that are native to South Dakota.