Questions about counting

The census is designed for people in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. We encourage school groups, gardeners, families, and individuals to take part — you don't need to be an entomologist. We ask only that you sort the insects you see into these eight groups:

• Bumble bees
• Carpenter bees
• Honey bees
• Small bees
• Wasps
• Flies
• Butterflies / Moths
• Other insects

The Insect Counting and Identification Guide and instructional videos on the Home page will help you prepare.

This year's census takes place on Friday and Saturday, August 21 & 22, 2026.

Choose a favorite pollinator plant — one in your garden that shows insect activity. Watch its flowers for fifteen minutes and count and identify every insect that lands. To make sure your counts reach our database, return to this website after counting; you'll find a prompt to add your information.

Yes. We're technically counting insect visits, not individual insects — so count each time any insect lands on your plant, whether or not it has been there before.

Choose a portion of the plant to focus on — about two feet by two feet — that lets you feel confident in your counts.

Absolutely. You're welcome to count as many times as you like across both days — each count is a separate submission.

Yes. We have lesson plans and classroom ideas for teachers — find them in our Educator resources.

Yes. Some companies have employees count as part of community outreach; restaurants and breweries make an event of it and invite their customers. Businesses can also plant or build a small pollinator garden. A few ways to take part:

• Set aside time during the workday for employees to count as part of your company's public outreach.
• Have a special lunch for employees and their families with pollinator-based food, such as watermelon salsa or apple salad.
• Create an event for customers or clients to come count at your business — we can help promote it on the website.
• Get comfortable with the counting criteria using the materials on the Census website; maybe do a practice count or two.
• Tour your garden for plants that will be blooming on the Census dates, and label them with their names for participants.
• Use the insect mascots and graphics (under Educators) for flyers, stickers, social posts, and event parking and directional signs.
• Download the Insect Counting & Identification Guide and the Counting for the Census PowerPoint; print a few Guides and present the slides if it helps.
• Post your event on the Georgia Pollinator Census Facebook page to spread the word.
• Print counting sheets from the website and have pencils or pens — and clipboards — on hand.
• Plan the event to show off your garden, library, or brewery so participants want to come back after the Census.
• Collect everyone's counting sheets and upload the totals, noting how many people counted — you'll have several days afterward to finish.
• Print the Participation Certificate and display it proudly.

Plant some pollinator-friendly favorites, such as:

• Black-eyed Susan
• Butterfly milkweed
• Blue giant hyssop
• Raydon's favorite aster
• Purple coneflower
• Dwarf tickseed
• Catmint

For a sample layout, see the small garden designed by landscape architect Andie Culbertson on our site.