Celebrate Pollinator Week With Us!

We’re celebrating the magnificent, unsung heroes of the animal kingdom. Bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, and hummingbirds are the critical animals behind our food and the beauty that surrounds us. Pollinators create that sweet harmony between the ecosystem, economy, and agriculture. Quite simply—we would be lost without them!

And the winner is...

If you weren’t able to participate in the vote, you can still contribute to our work to protect critical pollinator habitat!

Meet our contestants!

We present to you five of the greatest pollinators in the Midwest! These handsome specimens were chosen for their charms and good looks—but more importantly—for their critical impact on the environment. 

Descriptions provided by the unbiased Cory Christopher, Director of Conservation.

Roxanne, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

I feel like birds in general and hummingbirds in particular tend to hog all the attention away from the more level-headed, subtly colored pollinators. The obnoxiously cute and hyper-flappy Ruby-Throated Hummingbird can visit more than 1,000 flowers per day, and show a strong preference for red flowers. The blooms of trumpet honeysuckle, cardinal flower, and trumpet creeper are particular favorites. They also eat insects like mosquitos and flies, and they will take spiders directly from their web.

Dudley, the Dogbane Beetle (Chrysochus auratus)

Sometimes mistaken for the Japanese beetles, this species is much smaller than their invasive cousin and feed primarily on toxic dogbane (Apocynum). Similar to the relationship between monarchs and milkweed, the dogbane beetle sequesters the toxins throughout its body, rendering itself toxic to predators. The beetle’s audaciously metallic colors serve to warn predators of their toxicity, allowing them to freely move from plant to plant. As they feed, they transport pollen from one flower to another, seemingly “paying” for their lunch by facilitating pollination.

Zelda, the Zebra Swallowtail (Protographium marcellus)

Armed with their own chemical weaponry, the zebra swallowtail is the only North American member of the tropical kite swallowtail group of butterflies. Larvae of this large butterfly feed exclusively on pawpaw, and like the monarch and dogbane beetle, the toxins become distributed throughout their bodies. Like bald, tubular skunks, the caterpillars squirt a stinky chemical cocktail out of their bodies to deter predators. They pollinate a variety of native plant species, but surprisingly they do not pollinate pawpaws, choosing instead to dine and dash.

Henry, the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe)

This pollinator is more fairly festooned than their avian namesake, but they are beautiful nonetheless. Their transparent wings are undoubtedly fascinating, but my favorite thing about them is how fast they beat those wings. At 85 beats per second, they exceed the average wingbeat of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds. Like tiny, furry helicopters, these moths can hover while sipping nectar and moving pollen from one flower to the next.

Beau, the Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)

The eastern bumblebee is the most common bumblebee across the eastern US. Unlike most bees, bumblebees can efficiently forage for pollen and nectar in cooler and wetter conditions, making them important pollinators of plants that bloom in early spring. Often confused for carpenter bees, bumblebees do not create solitary nests in wooden structures. Instead, they build communal nests underground or in brush piles. Their ecological contributions to native plant communities (and our food) is immeasurable.

Voting Details

Monday, June 17 through Sunday, June 23, we’re raising funds to support our ongoing conservation efforts to protect pollinators and their critical habitat. By voting for your favorite pollinator, you can be a part of the fun!

Vote for your favorite pollinator by donating $10. At the end of the week, the pollinator with the most funds will be featured in an exclusive t-shirt to be sold at The Nature Shop later this summer. Proceeds from shirt sales will further support the Nature Center’s mission.

We’re a private nonprofit. Unlike many other cultural centers and parks, the Nature Center is not funded by tax dollars. We rely on people like you to support our work and protect this special place.

• Voting runs from Monday, June 17, 2024 at 8 am through Sunday, June 23, 2024 at midnight.

• You may vote as many times as you please.

• Funds raised will be tallied on Monday, June 24. Results will be shared via email, social media, and on our website.

Bonus—Your Vote Gets You Entered to Win!

For every $10 donated, you'll receive 1 entry for a Pollinator Power Gift Bag drawing! For example:

• $10 = 1 entry
• $50 = 5 entries
• $100 = 10 enteries

The Pollinator Power Gift Bag, valued at $180, includes:

• One Pollinator Power t-shirt
• One 1-year Cincinnati Nature Center membership, level of your choice up to Family level
• One bottle of Nate’s Nectar Natural Raw Honey
• Two tickets to Light in the Forest in December, evening of your choice

To place your vote by phone, call (513) 774-1921.

Checks may be written to Cincinnati Nature Center and mailed to:

4949 Tealtown Road
Milford, OH 45150
Attn: Development Department

EIN # 31-6057978

Our Seal of Transparency

We’ve just earned our 2023 Platinum Seal with Candid/GuideStar! This seal demonstrates our commitment to transparency so that our guests and donors can confidently support our work with trust and confidence.