Disney Conservation: Sting Up Your Own Pollinator Garden

in Disney, Disneyland Resort, Food, Merchandise, Walt Disney World

Bee promoting Disney DIY for the garden

WE’RE POLLINATORS!!!!!” It’s tough to be a bug, y’all! We all know that. But if you’ve got a green thumb and a little bit of space (even a large pot will do!), you can create your own pollinator garden to give our little buggies a leg up… or six if you can!

Below you’ll find directions on how to dig in the dirt and choose plants that will help out your native bees and use local plant species, too! Disney has been so sweet on these honey bees that they built a 270-acre solar power facility with a large pollinator garden to assist insects that are experiencing a global decline due to habitat loss.

Spike the Bee
Credit: inkandpaintintheparks.wordpress.com

Create a Pollinator Garden

If you’ve got garden space, an empty bed, or even a large container, you can do this project right at home. Order plant species from a local nursery and pick-up curbside to get your project going faster. If you’ve got seeds in the freezer from last season, get them soaking for your local honey bees.

Find downloadable step-by-step instructions here to create the pollinator garden you’ve always wanted. “Think tall to small” Dr. Zak says, encouraging diversity in your native plant options and species will beget more diversity in your appearing pollinator.  Choose options that suit your gardening capabilities as well as the space options you have. Then, sit back and watch the monarch butterfly flock to the milkweed or beetles to the flowering plants.

The Disney Parks Youtube Channel captions their creative video with, “Fans of Disney Parks know while “it’s tough to be a bug,” we need flies, beetles – and especially bees and butterflies – to help pollinate plants and flowers. In honor of Earth Day, we’ve turned to one of the pollinator garden caregivers from the Disney’s Animal Sciences and Environment team, Disney Conservation Manager Dr. Zak Gezon, for tips to share with you on how to create pollinator-friendly gardens or garden areas at home.”

Disney’s Effort to Help The Pollinator

Disney is no stranger to conservation, whether it be for large safari animals, tiny insects and bee species, or even large swaths of land to keep green and native. This latest share helps our “flower- fueling friends” spread through the Disney Parks in an effort to further plant life and encourage the environment.

Dr. Zak, who appears in the video above, care for the numerous pollinator gardens with his team throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including the one at the solar facility. He’s sharing his own tips to bring native plant science to your home! It’s only the latest effort in Disney’s work to protect species of pollinators.

The Disney Conservation Fund has included these pollinating insects (honey bees, sweat bees, the monarch butterfly, beetles, caterpillars, and more) in their conservation plan of over 26 projects to save butterflies! Keep up on Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment page on Facebook and by following the Vice President of Disney Animals, Dr. Mark, on Instagram (@DrMarkAtDisney). Be sure to use #AskDrMark for the opportunity to have one of an animal care specialist answer your queries about wildlife! At Inside the Magic, we’re buzzing with questions!

Disney pollinator Garden
Credit: Disney Conservation

Honey Bee Barter

For a touch of your own stingless pollinator at home, try shopping online at shopDisney.com for Spike the Bee items to add to your garden. There’s a Spike Flower & Garden Festival plant marker for a touch of insect whimsy and a big cozy beehive mug complete with lid to keep your brew bubbling. Since we can’t continue our fun at Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival, we’re planning on making a pollinator garden and bringing the fun to our home!

A garden sign and a pot with bees theme
Credit: ShopDisney

Source: Disney Parks Blog

What questions would you ask Dr. Mark or Dr. Zak about pollinators? Leave us a comment below, or let us know about your Garden!

in Disney, Disneyland Resort, Food, Merchandise, Walt Disney World

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