The Arivaca Pollinator Pathway  Project

Our Pollinator Week Party will include presentations by:

• Regional butterfly expert Mary Scott, who will talk about Arivaca’s butterflies and share pictures, many of which are included in her two new books; “A Visual Introduction to Butterflies of Arivaca” and “Getting to Know the Common Butterflies of Arivaca”. She will offer tips on what to look for in identifying butterflies, and where to find them.  In addition, Mary's books, magnets, notecards, and other work will also be on sale at this event to benefit the Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project!  

• Monica King, local beekeeper and Director of the Southern AZ Beekeepers Association will speak on the topic of "Honeybees: the Canary of the Pollinator World"  How Beekeepers can look into a hive and sound the alarm about the environment. Pesticides, poor nutrition and dysfunctional food systems.

PLUS:

• An activity table hosted by Chris Robie of The Xerces Society, a science based non-profit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats.   Chris is a Xerces Ambassador and a Pima County Master Naturalist.  She will be tabling information about Xerces, and sharing some fun activities for "kids of all ages": Pollinators Rock Painting, Bee and Butterfly paper puppets and Caterpillars made with yarn will be enjoyed.  Free bookmarks, planting for pollinators info and X-Kids Booklets will also be available;

• An activity table hosted by Madian Romero of the Arivaca Library;

• Guided tours from Emily Bishton of the dancehall's Pollinator Pathway Garden areas;  

• Celebration of the 8th Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project garden that was just completed at Arivaca Community Center, and all the participants in the brand new Home Gardener Program!

• The Arivaca Pollinator Pathway was featured in a cover story posted on the Endangered Species Coalition website on May 17th, Endangered Species Day 2024!  

• The Arivaca Pollinator Pathway Project was featured in a story on the Public News Service's environmental reporting webpage on April 20th, Earth Day 2024!  

• On April 19th & 20th, Tohono O'odham artist Paul 'Nox' Pablo painted a new mural at the Arivaca Dancehall, featuring Yucca Moth and Mexican Long-nosed Bat pollinators, with Agave and Night-blooming Cereus plants.  These pollinator species migrate through the Arivaca area and the nearby Tohono O'odham Nation, and need us all to protect and enhance their habitat.  Thank you 'Nox' for such a beautiful and meaningful mural!

Visit our google photo album to see photos of the fabulous gardens created so far!

Why this project? Why now?

Pollinators are important residents and migrant visitors in the Arivaca area, as well as the rest of the world, and they need our help to thrive!  Over the last 100 years, there has been an alarming loss of good habitat for Monarchs and other butterflies, as well as bees, bats, and other native pollinators.  Monarch butterflies are now on the Endangered Species List, along with several bat and bee species.  

When we take action to preserve remaining habitat and provide additional habitat of any size, the result is an increase in the ability of these pollinators and other wildlife to thrive, even in the midst of our towns and cities.   Research has also shown that habitat areas which are linked to one another, and linked to nearby natural areas, enable a much wider and more diverse set of nectar plants to attract and nurture adult butterflies, moths, bees, bats, and hummingbirds, as well as a more diverse set of host plants for butterfly caterpillars to forage on.