We love pollinators and insects here at Tyler. Check out these great resources from our Blog and YouTube Channel to learn more about the process of enhancing the Butterfly House and a little more about some of the fascinating creatures you might find in the landscape. We’ll be updating this page with what we’re seeing in the Butterfly House and gardens as the season continues – so visit often to get the inside scoop!

These Seven Lives

By Nancy Heinbaugh

It is October 22nd and we are at the Pollinator Preserve to host our final Pop-up Explainer Station for the season…read more here!

North American Native Bees – The Real Unsung Hero 

By Louisa Romaine

Long before honey bees arrived in North America, over 4,400 different species of native bees were pollinating the indigenous vegetation…read more here!

Animal and Insect Pollination 

By Nancy Heinbaugh

Over 70% of plant species rely on animals or insects for pollination.  These plants and trees need the ability to attract animals or insects to do their pollinating…read more here!

And We are the Dreamers of Dreams 

By Steven Shanko

I eagerly accepted the position as the Butterfly House Intern here at the John J. Tyler Arboretum in early March 2021, during the weeks when daylight began to extend its arms and the earth awakened from its cold sleep…read more here!

Pollen Records, Pollinators, and Climate Change 

By Dr. Laura Guertin

An article was recently published by YaleEnvironment360, titled As Climate Warms, a Rearrangement of World’s Plant Life Looms (June 17, 2021)…read more here!

Overwintering Pollinators 

By Nancy Heinbaugh

While we are thinking of ways to thank nature for the bounty provided to us over the course of the year, understanding where and how our pollinators spend the winter months allows us to give them a helping hand to ensure their survival until springtime…read more here!

An Uncertain Future

By Nancy Heinbaugh

What is it about the monarch butterfly that fascinates so many people? The answer likely lies in the annual autumn migration that has been ongoing for millennia…read more here!

Lesser Known Pollinators

By Louisa Romaine

Almost 90% of all flowering plants depend on animal pollinators for fertilization and approximately 200,000 species of animals perform as pollinators…read more here!