Spectacular Pollinators on Spectacle Island

Did you know that ~80% of all plant life relies on insects and other animals for pollination? This is why pollinators are considered keystone species: because life as we know it would be impossible without them. Pollinators are at the very foundation of our ecosystems, and with all they've done for us, they deserve some recognition!

So give pollinators their flowers and join us on Spectacle Island this labor day weekend for a pollinator event to close out the summer!

Your ticket includes:

• Boat transportation to and from the islands
• Guided Pollinator Safaris on the hour
• Hike with a Ranger
• Pollinator arts and crafts
• Self-guided exploration of Spectacle Island
• Lawn games
• BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic)

Join bee scientists Nick Dorian and Max McCarthy on a 30-minute pollinator safari to learn about the native pollinators of the Boston Harbor Islands! In this guided nature-walk you'll learn about these incredible insects, their life cycles, and how they do what they do!

About Nick: Nick Dorian is a post-doctoral researcher at Chicago Botanic Garden where he studies the ecology of pollinator gardens. He completed his Ph.D. at Tufts University on the population ecology of solitary bees. Nick also co-founded and ran the Tufts Pollinator Initiative which built capacity for pollinator conservation in the greater Boston area. Nick is a passionate educator and in 2022 gave a Tedx talk “We’re saving the wrong bees.” In his free time, Nick enjoys going on long runs and growing tomatoes.

About Max: Max McCarthy is a Ph.D. candidate at Rutgers University where he studies populations of the rare Parnassia Mining Bee and the pollination ecology of their host plant, Parnassia. Even outside of research, he spends much of his time searching for poorly-known wild bee species in New Jersey and documenting their natural history through photography. When he’s not beewatching, Max can be found birding, playing ragtime piano music, and enjoying bee diversity vicariously by identifying observations on iNaturalist.

Host or Publisher Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park