Georgia Magazine - September 2021 - 16

Pol inator
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Citizen-science project keeps tabs on
insects throughout Georgia
By Tom Oder
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T
he Great Georgia Pollinator Census last year was one of
many events that was forced to alter its plans because
of the pandemic. Anyone can participate in the annual
count, but it has been particularly embraced by teachers
and students.
When the pandemic forced many Georgia school systems to implement
virtual learning, plans for the census shifted from school involvement
to a family-oriented event with children and parents counting insects in
home gardens.
That worked out fine for the Yelton family of Cherokee County.
Jacquelyn Yelton, a former middle-school biology teacher, has been
teaching her four children about insects and the natural world since they
were toddlers. She also home-schools them.
Their outdoor science classroom is no farther than the mailbox, where
they grow a mix of native and annual plants. They started with a Georgia
aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum) that a friend gave them four years ago
to encourage them to participate in the count. They have enthusiastically
participated ever since.
" I enjoy the census because it is an authentic learning experience
where we apply academic knowledge, " Yelton says. " The kids will
comment about something they see, and I might say to them: 'What are
you are observing? Is this new, or have we seen this the whole summer?
What do you think?' We've had some really good higher-level discussions
about our studies and observations.
" That knowledge is scaffolding for high school and college studies that
will help them understand the concepts of how everything works together.
They are gaining a lot of experience through those memories. That makes
my heart happy. "
and to increase sustainable pollinator habitat
in Georgia. "
In response to the shift last year to virtual learnBecky
Griffin, community and school garden coordinator for the
University of Georgia Extension, manages the annual statewide event from
her office in the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center in
Blairsville.
" The census has three goals, " she says. " They are to generate pollinator
population data; to raise entomological [the study of insects] literacy
by training people and getting them to look at these insects in their garden;
16 Georgia Magazine September 2021
ing, " we came up with some special resources-such
as family games and fun social-media quizzes and
activities-[that] we offered to families throughout
the year to give them basic education about identifying
insects, " she says. " As the census began, we gave
families recipes from plants that require pollinators
that were provided by University of Georgia Family
and Consumer Sciences agents, movie recommendations
and a Spotify play list. These added to the
fun family experience of participating in the census.
We also were available to answer questions and offer
additional advice about how to make the experience
memorable as a family activity. "
An unexpected twist was that some
grandparents joined their grandchildren in the
Maggie Brooke Yelton
counts pollinators
in Canton.
JACQUELYN YELTON
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Georgia Magazine - September 2021

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