November 2023

Bee City USA Visits Michigan, Part II: Bee Cities

In September, national coordinator Laura Rost had the opportunity to visit seven Bee Cities and Bee Campuses in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Last month, she recapped her visits to several campuses. In this post, she shares her visits to three Michigan Bee City USA affiliates: City of Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, and Royal Oak. Read more

Get ready: renewal reports due in February

We know it's feels early, but if you are on the committee of a Bee City or Bee Campus, now is a great time to gather data on your 2023 activities for your annual report in February: photos, 2023 event statistics, and habitat data.

Keep in mind: we are looking for progress, not perfection. We're here to help if you need assistance with any of the commitments.

If your city or campus was certified in 2022 or earlier: your renewal report and annual fee are due in February 2024. If you are one of our first 60 affiliates, you are an early adopter and do not need to pay the renewal fee.

If this is your first year of reporting and are wondering what's involved, check out some of last year's reports for inspiration.

Xerces is now accepting student applications for the 2024 DeWind Awards

The Xerces Society offers annual awards to support students pursuing educational research in Lepidoptera conservation. This year, the awards will be $10,000 each, with two awards available. We're investing in the future of our planet and our field by sponsoring the next generation of butterfly and moth conservationists. The submission deadline for 2024 DeWind Awards is Sunday, January 7, 2024. Learn More and Apply

Virtual Affiliate Meetup recordings available, more meetings in 2024

A warm thank you to everyone who has participated in our regional meetings this year. It is so great to connect with you all. With everyone's busy end-of-year schedules, we're going to hold off on the remainder of our regional meetups until the new year.

Stay turned, Midwestern and Western Bee City or Bee Campus participants!

Watch our past regional meetings:

Bee City & Bee Campus USA Virtual Affiliate Meetup: Great Lakes

Bee City & Bee Campus USA Virtual Affiliate Meetup: NE & Mid-Atlantic

Bee City & Bee Campus USA Virtual Affiliate Meetup: Southeast Region

Bee City & Bee Campus USA Virtual Affiliate Meetup: SW Region

Xerces Leave the Leaves Habitat Signs

Are you looking for a durable Leave the Leaves sign? Making your own is a great option, but we also have an outdoor-friendly 9” x 10.5” sign available for a donation in the Xerces Society Gift Center. Donors also receive Xerces member benefits for one year. Visit the Xerces Gift Center

2023 Leave the Leaves Promo Kit is still available

As a benefit to our Bee City and Bee Campus affiliates, we provide "promo kits" to help affiliates easily share pollinator conservation tools within their communities for events like No Mow May, Earth Week, Pollinator Week, and, for autumn: Leave the Leaves! 

These digital kits includes items like printable handouts, ideas for events and activities, social media content, template op-eds, links for further reading, and more.

We hope these kits allow you to quickly disseminate information in a way that is easy to read and share.

Access the 2023 Leave the Leaves Promo Kit here

Welcome, New Bee City affiliates!

• Bald Head Island, NC
• Cleveland, TN
• Spearfish, SD

We're so happy to have you join us!

Upcoming Events

December 7 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PST

In the Life of Monarchs East of the Rockies: Biology and the Great Migration

January 25 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PST

Bee City USA Open House: Pesticides, Policy, & You

January 31 @ 12:30 pm -1:30 pm CST

Bee City & Bee Campus USA Virtual Affiliate Meetup: Upper Midwest - registration link will be in the December eNewsletter

February 29

Bee City and Bee Campus Renewal Reports and Fees due

Contact: BeeCityUSA@xerces.org

Donation Mailing Address:

The Xerces Society

PO Box 97387

Washington DC, 20090-7387

Application and Renewal Fee Address:

The Xerces Society

??‹PO Box 84274

Seattle, WA 98124-5574

Michigan Bee City photo: Royal Oak

DeWind Awards: Cynthia Scholl

Leave the Leaves photo: Suzanne Granahan / Xerces Society

Copyright © 2023 The Xerces Society