by Gabrielle LaTora, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Ready to become a pollinator pro? If you love pollinators—or want to—this 7-week virtual course will transform the way you see your garden, greenspace, and the tiny creatures that power them. Led by experts in their insect fields, you will learn more, see more, and become a more confident Census counter. Learn from the experts at UGA and join a network of thousands protecting our local ecosystems.
This webinar series gives participants the chance to dive deeper into the fascinating insects we count during the Census—exploring their identification, ecology, and the essential roles they play in our ecosystems. This course has been years in the making and was inspired by requests from Extension agents across the region who wanted a deeper learning opportunity connected to the Census. We are so excited to finally bring it to life!
2026 Course Schedule
This course will be presented as a Zoom webinar each Tuesday from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. EDT.
June 16, 2026
Carpenter Bees
Dr. Bethany Harris and Whitney Ottinger
June 23rd
Bumble Bees
Avery Young and Becky Griffin
June 30th
Butterflies
Dr. Sonia Altizer and Jeremy Rhoden
July 7th
Small Bees
Dr. Kris Braman and Amanda Bratcher
July 14th
Honey Bees
Dr. Jamie Ellis and Bethany O’Rear
July 21st
Flies & Wasps
Dr. Scott Clem, Dr. Jason Schmidt, and Gabrielle LaTora
July 28th
Beetles and Other Insects
Dr. Joe McHugh
Course Wrap-up
Important Info
- For those who cannot make the scheduled time, recordings of each session will be posted by Friday of that week.
- The cost of the course is $50 and the commitment that you will lead, assist, or participate in a Great Southeast Pollinator Census event this year, August 21st or 22nd, 2026, if you live in one of the Census states (Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama or Florida). If you live outside of the Southeast, please join us for just the course fee. If the cost is a burden for you, please email Becky Griffin at beckygri@uga.edu.
- Upon course completion, you will have earned a course certificate. The course is equivalent to 1+ PLU for educators.
