Celebrate Pollinator Week 2026 with DC Natives
We are excited to kick off the celebration of Pollinator Week and hope that you will join us!
Pollinator Week is June 22 – 28, but we are starting a little early since there is no time like the present to bring attention to the greatest resources to our food supply and to our world!
Over the last 30 years, the eastern migratory monarch butterfly population has seen significant losses. Populations are estimated based on the acreage covered by hibernating colonies. Researchers have estimated that there are approximately 21.1 million butterflies per 2.47 acres. Three decades ago, monarchs covered nearly 45 acres of forest in the winter (384.25 million monarchs). This past winter, they covered 7.24 acres of forest (61.82 million monarchs). While this was an increase over last year’s 4.42 acres (37.74 million monarchs), there continues to be a long-term downward trend. Read more about what can be done to save our monarchs and what you can do to conserve our friendly flutter-bys.
Here are some ways you can get involved in supporting our mission to increase pollinator habitats and conserve our precious pollinators during Pollinator Week:
On June 20th, please join DC Natives for hands-on, educational pollinator garden workshops focused on attracting monarch butterflies. Both events are free and open to the public. Both events are organized by DC Natives with support from the DC Department of Energy and Environment and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
- The morning workshop will be from 10 am – noon in the Marshall Heights neighborhood (register here), and
- The afternoon workshop will be from 4 – 6 pm in the Anacostia neighborhood (register here).
🌸 Pre-order a tray of hearty pollinator plants we’ve selected that are native to this region, are drought tolerant, and bring hundreds and thousands of amazing pollinators! Your trays will be available for pickup in the fall but in the meantime, join us for one of the demonstration garden workshops listed above that we will be doing on June 20, to learn more about how to prepare your site and arrangement of the plants you’ve ordered!
💛 Join an in-person fundraising event in the River Terrace neighborhood on Friday, June 26th – Wear you most festive garden attire full of colors, flowers, and maybe even a few pollinators and come for a happy hour style fundraiser with good eats, good drinks, and good people. RSVP is required. Please find out more on the link above!
💛 Donate to DC Natives to fund residential native pollinator gardens. Pay it forward!
Sign up for our newsletter and check out our Events page for additional events!