Free Bee and Wasp Cards to Celebrate National Pollinator Week

Ohio is home to more than 450 species of bee. They’re bumble bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees and others, and you can identify more than a dozen of them — types you’re likely to see in your garden — using the pocket bee card from The Ohio State University.

And how about some love for wasps? Ohio has an amazing diversity of wasps, including paper wasps, golden digger wasps and potter wasps. Not fond of wasps? They serve as pollinators, are important in the biological control of caterpillars and other pests, and add to the diversity and beauty of our landscapes.

To celebrate National Pollinator Week, The OSU Department of Entomology is offering a free copy of the 4-by-6-inch bee and wasp identification cards. Common Bees of Ohio and Common Wasps of Ohio cards can be requested through July 5th by sending a self-addressed, stamped, business-size envelope to “Bees and Wasps” c/o Denise Ellsworth, OSU Entomology, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691. One copy of each card will be sent per envelope.

Multiple copies of the bee and wasp cards can be purchased through the OSU Extension Publications website.