Penn State Master Gardeners of Butler County

06/13/2026

🦟🐝 Yes, you can fight mosquitoes without harming pollinators!

Summer is here, and so are the mosquitoes but, before you spray the yard, check out these pollinator‑friendly tips from Penn State Extension. Many common mosquito treatments can unintentionally harm bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

🌼 Better options include:
• Removing standing water (the #1 mosquito breeder)
• Using targeted larvicides instead of broad sprays
• Treating only problem areas, not whole yards
• Choosing products and timing that reduce risk to pollinators

A mosquito‑free yard and a pollinator‑friendly garden can absolutely coexist. Small changes make a big difference for the bees, butterflies, and moths that keep our ecosystems thriving.

Learn more:

Mosquitoes are an annoyance and a public health hazard. It is possible to manage mosquitoes in a pollinator-friendly way that preserves beneficial insects.

06/12/2026

🌼🐝 Happy Pollinator Month, fellow plant people!
June is our annual reminder that gardens aren’t just pretty they’re living ecosystems buzzing with partners who make it all work.

If you’re looking to level up your pollinator knowledge (or just want an excuse to plant more natives), the Penn State Center for Pollinator Research is an absolute goldmine. From native bee ID to habitat design, bloom‑time planning, and the latest pollinator science, it’s packed with resources for anyone who loves gardening with purpose.

Whether you're tracking which bees hit your mountain mint first or plotting a new pollinator corridor in your yard, this site will feed your curiosity and your garden.

Celebrate Pollinator Month by diving in and giving our buzzing, fluttering, night‑flying friends the support they deserve 💛🐝
👉

Explore the fascinating world of pollinators with The Center for Pollinator Research. Our website offers a wealth of research based information about bees, butt

06/11/2026

This week, Penn State Master Gardeners of Allegheny County volunteer Bill Goff shared the beauty of Peonies and May-June blooming perennials with our volunteers.

Do you have peonies in your landscaping?

06/09/2026

🌙🦋 Moths: the pollinators we rarely think about — but desperately need!

We usually celebrate bees and butterflies, but moths are major pollinators too. With nearly 170,000 species worldwide, they’ve been pollinating plants for millions of years often working the night shift while we sleep.

✨ Why moths matter:
• They pollinate tons of native plants, especially pale or night‑blooming flowers
• Their caterpillars are a crucial food source for birds, bats & other wildlife
• Habitat loss, pesticides, invasive plants & light pollution are causing serious declines

🌱 How we can help:
• Plant native species like bee balm, mountain mint & Joe Pye w**d
• Reduce outdoor lighting at night
• Leave some leaf litter & stems for overwintering insects
• Avoid pesticides whenever possible

Moths may be “forgotten,” but our ecosystems can’t function without them. A few small changes in our gardens can make a huge difference for these nighttime pollinating heroes. 🌼🦋💛

Moths are as important as bees and butterflies among the world's pollinators. Although active at night, we must not discount their importance.

06/08/2026

Tonight is our second opportunity to learn about the Master Gardener program and how to become a Master Gardener! See you there!

🌱💫 CALLING ALL PLANT PEOPLE, DIRT NERDS & PHOTOSYNTHESIS ENTHUSIASTS!
Do you dream of compost? Talk to your tomatoes? Compliment strangers’ mulch choices?
Then you might be destined to become a Butler County Master Gardener.

Your quest begins at one of our Information Sessions:
📅 June 8
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Lori K Bauer Shelter, Butler Memorial Park

Come learn about the 2026–2027 training class, meet fellow plant‑obsessed humans, and discover whether this is your moment to blossom 🌸

Attendance at ONE session = eligibility to apply.
Attendance at BOTH sessions = still only one application but double the fun.

Bring a friend. Bring a houseplant. Bring a houseplant friend. We welcome all.

06/07/2026

🐝🌼 Native bees are the real MVPs in our gardens and farms!
Honeybees get the fame, but our 4,000+ native bee species are doing most of the heavy lifting.

• Bumble bees, mason bees & squash bees are super‑efficient pollinators
• Some can visit thousands of flowers a day
• Many crops such as pumpkins, tomatoes, and berries rely heavily on them

Want to help? Plant native flowers, skip the pesticides, and leave a little wild space. Small actions keep these tiny heroes thriving 💛🐝

Read More ⬇️

Approximately three quarters of our major food crops require pollination. Here we will look at how wild bees provide insurance against ongoing honey bee losses.

06/06/2026

Our friends at the Southern Butler County Garden Club will host their annual garden tour on Saturday, June 27th.

We will see you there!

06/05/2026

🌼🐝 Ever wonder how plants actually make seeds… or why pollinators matter so much?
Pollination is way more fascinating than most people realize — and it’s the reason we have apples, tomatoes, blueberries, chocolate, and so much more.

Check out this great Penn State Extension article to learn:
✨ What pollination is
✨ Which insects and animals do the heavy lifting
✨ Why pollinators are struggling
✨ How YOU can help right in your own backyard

It’s the perfect read for Pollinator Month — and a great reminder of how much our gardens depend on these tiny heroes. 🌸🦋

https://extension.psu.edu/pollination-and-pollinators

06/02/2026

🌱💫 CALLING ALL PLANT PEOPLE, DIRT NERDS & PHOTOSYNTHESIS ENTHUSIASTS!
Do you dream of compost? Talk to your tomatoes? Compliment strangers’ mulch choices?
Then you might be destined to become a Butler County Master Gardener.

Your quest begins at one of our Information Sessions:
📅 June 3 or June 8
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Lori K Bauer Shelter, Butler Memorial Park

Come learn about the 2026–2027 training class, meet fellow plant‑obsessed humans, and discover whether this is your moment to blossom 🌸

Attendance at ONE session = eligibility to apply.
Attendance at BOTH sessions = still only one application but double the fun.

Bring a friend. Bring a houseplant. Bring a houseplant friend. We welcome all.

06/01/2026

🌼🐝 Happy Pollinator Month, Butler County! 🦋🌸

June is officially Pollinator Month, and we’re buzzing with excitement! All month long, we’ll be sharing fun facts, tips, and spotlights on the tiny heroes who make one out of every three bites of food we eat possible bees, butterflies, birds, bats, beetles, and more.

Pollinators keep our gardens blooming, our ecosystems thriving, and our plates full. But many of them are struggling and that’s why this month matters.

🌼 What’s happening in June?

We’ll be posting pollinator fun facts, garden tips, and ways YOU can help.

Later this month, we’ll celebrate Pollinator Week (June 22–28), a global effort to support pollinator health.

So get ready for a month filled with color, wings, and garden magic.
Let’s learn, celebrate, and help our pollinators thrive! 🌱💛