Pollinators Weave Connections

The 2025 Pollinator Poster is now available to order! Created by artist Deanna Derosia, this poster depicts a the essential role pollinators play in creating connections and culture in our communities. Order yours today!

Poster is 24'' x 36''

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About the Artist

Deanna Derosia is an illustrator and biologist raised in the sunny Treasure Coast of Florida. Growing up amongst the biodiverse estuaries and sandy pinelands of Florida ignited her curiosity for the natural world and inspired her to preserve wild landscapes for generations to come. This passion drove her to earn a degree in biology from Florida State University, a graduate degree in scientific illustration from California State University Monterey Bay, and work in a variety of fields, ranging from sea turtle research to painting ecologically themed murals. Her artwork now blends scientific accuracy with playful curiosity, creating a space for the viewer to explore the natural world, discover its oddities, and instill pride in their own local ecosystems. Deanna currently works as a graphic artist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, and continues freelancing in her free time. Her portfolio can be viewed at www.sealacanth.com/.

Pollinators on this year's poster:

Squash bee (Xenoglossa pruinosa)

Named the 2025 Pollinator of the Year, squash bees are a commonplace here in North America and are famous for being important pollinators for plants in the Cucurbita genus, which includes native squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and other gourds. Squash bees are early risers – they can often be found visiting Cucurbita flowers when they open in the hours just after dawn, and exclusively rely on pollen from these flowers for their diets. In fact, it is estimated that by themselves, squash bees pollinate around two thirds of all squash grown commercially here in the US. Like most other native bees, squash bees are ground nesters. This means if you’re planning to grow squash, zucchini, or pumpkins in your backyard, try not to till the soil beneath these plants or risk destroying the squash bees present. Squash bee eggs are laid in the underground tunnels created by the females, and emerge in the summer months when the cucurbit flowers are present. Before the arrival of Europeans here in North America, squash bees were essential partners for a multitude of indigenous tribes who relied on cucurbits to support their diets.

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/s...

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildfl...

Mexican Long Tongued Bat (Choeronycteris mexicana)

The Mexican long-tongued bat is a species of bat that resides in northern Central America, Mexico and the southwestern United States, primarily in the states of New Mexico, Texas, California, and Arizona. Mexico is the location of the species’ roosting dwellings, where the bats typically live in caves, mines, buildings, etc. Following a migratory path that traces blooms of agave and cactuses, they are found north in the summer months and travel south when the weather turns cold. They feature a grayish-brown fur coat, and a leaf-shaped nose that they use for ultrasonic echolocation that they shout through their nostrils.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildfl...

https://www.pollinator.org/pol...

Florida Carpenter Ant (Camponotus floridanus)

Despite the fact that ants are some of the most successful species on the planet given their widespread geographic distribution and high species diversity, ants are not typically considered to be terribly effective pollinators. Their small bodies, hard outer shells, and destructive mandibles often result in ants visiting a flower without transferring pollen. However, the Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) has been observed pollinating a number of plant species whose flowers are close to the ground, clustered, and have an open structure. Ants might not be the most efficient pollinators, but their sheer numbers and frequent floral visitations still allows them to act as important facilitators for several different kinds of native wildflowers.

https://blog.umd.edu/agronomyn...

Red-Banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)

The Red-Banded Hairstreak is a smaller butterfly native to the southeastern US, but its range extends as far north as Connecticut and as far west as Kansas. As adults these butterflies are generalists, visiting a variety of flowers and plants for nutrients, but as caterpillars they tend to seek out fallen leaves of sumac (Rhus spp.), wax myrtle (Morella spp.) oaks (Quercus spp.), and bayberries (Myrica spp.). The wing patterns of the adult combined with the characteristic “eye” found along the margin of the wing provide the butterfly with an effective defense mechanism against predators, with some studies indicating that it’s particularly effective against jumping spiders.

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-na...

Monarch (Danaus plexipus)

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is perhaps the most well-known butterfly in North America, recognizable by its bright orange wings with black borders, black veins, and white dots along the edges. Culturally, there are few butterflies that have done more to raise awareness and support for pollinator conservation efforts. Monarchs are full of endurance, traveling by the millions from Canada and the northern U.S. to thousands of miles away in central Mexico and the California coast for their overwintering sites. Despite this feat of migration, monarchs are declining, most likely due to loss of habitat, loss of milkweed, and drought conditions in California, among other factors. Both the Monarch caterpillar and adult butterfly rely on milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) as a food source. Milkweeds also contain a toxin that caterpillars accumulate in their bodies and lasts into adulthood, making them bad-tasting to predators and helping them survive. Most of the monarchs that join the migration each fall are three or four generations removed from the previous year- how monarchs navigate to the same groves of trees visited by their ancestors remains an unsolved scientific mystery!

https://www.pollinator.org/mon...

https://monarchjointventure.or...

Common Eastern Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)

The Common Eastern Bumblebee is one of the most frequently-encountered pollinators in the US, and is a generalist pollinator visiting a variety of plant species and even some staples in our diet including cucumbers, tomatoes, and blueberries. Currently, the Common Eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) is the only species being commercially reared for pollination services in North America, despite the fact that it is only native to the eastern U.S. and Canada. It’s a favorite of farmers because it can buzz pollinate, which honey bees never do, so is reared in large numbers and its colonies distributed to greenhouses and cropping systems needing pollinators.

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources...

https://www.pollinator.org/BumbleBeeGuide2011.pdf

Ornate Checkered Beetle (Trichodes ornatus)

Native to the southwestern Canada and the western US, the Ornate Checkered Beetle is a known pollinator because of its diet that consists mostly of pollen. As these beetles visit flowers like yarrow, asters, lilacs, buckwheat, and daisies, their hairy bodies and hind legs collect pollen and transfer it between plants, providing essential pollination services. Their distinct black and white patterning is a defense mechanism meant to confuse predators into thinking they’ve encountered a wasp; a prime example of Batesian mimicry. These beetles also lay their eggs on the flowers they visit, and have been observed feeding on different bee species that might have the unfortunate luck of visiting a flower where the ornate checkered beetle is already present.

https://www.colorado.edu...

https://www.inaturalist.org...

Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus)

The Eastern Calligrapher is a common syrphid fly found in the Eastern US, ranging from eastern Texas, up to Winnepeg in southern Canada, and east through Nova Scotia. Much like ornate checkered beetle, the Eastern Calligrapher has evolved to look like a wasp or a bee in an attempt to ward off predators. Eastern Calligraphers are generalist pollinators, and are known to feast on aphids – a common garden pest. While it can be difficult to discern the difference between the Eastern Calligrapher and bees or wasps, syrphid (or hover) flies will hover in place whereas bees and wasps are more direct in their flight patterns, and flies have two wings while bees and wasps have four.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa...

White striped Black Mason wasp (Pseudodynerus quadrisectus)

While wasps are not known to be the most efficient pollinators, the White-striped Black Mason wasp is considered to be an effective pollinator of flowers that produce a significant amount of nectar such as goldenrods, snakeroot, mountain mints, and thoroughwort. Their wide distribution is limited to the eastern US, where it reaches as far north as upstate New York, as far south as southern Florida, and as far west as central Texas. Like other wasps, they build their nests using mud, and often utilize cavities created by carpenter in wood and downed trees to lay their eggs. Their predatory nature also means they’ll go after common garden pests like aphids.

https://www.fs.usda.gov...

Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

Despite its small size (even for a hummingbird!) the ruby-throated hummingbird has the largest breeding range of any hummingbird. This species, commonly found east of the Mississippi River, migrates from its summer breeding grounds in the eastern United States and southern Canada to tropical regions in Mexico and Central America. On the way, it will fly up to 500 miles nonstop over the Gulf of Mexico. Its weight will nearly double from 3.25g to 6g before the flight. To accomplish this, it feeds on the nectar from common native wildflowers such as trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora) and wild bergamont (Monarda fisulosa) among others along its migration route, as well as spiders and small insects. You can attract these efficient pollinators by planting tubular flowers wherever you might have the space to do so. Incredibly, the ruby throated hummingbird beats its wings about 53 times a second!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/...

https://www.pollinator.org/lea...

Owlet moth (Mesogona olivata)

Like most moths, Owlet moths are nocturnal pollinators, playing an important role for night-blooming flowers throughout their range. Generally, owlet moths prefer wet forest to semi-arid steppe habitats. Geographically, this species is most commonly found along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to California. It also occurs eastward to Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas. It is thought to likely be found in northern Mexico as well; however, this is not strongly documented. Host plants for its larvae have been identified as lilacs (Ceanothus spp.), white oak (Quercus garryana), currents (Ribes spp.), and bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata).

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildfl...

https://pnwmoths.biol.wwu.edu/...

Orange sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

Orange Sulphur butterflies are one of the most commonly-spotted butterflies found here in North America, ranging from southern Canada all the way south to central Mexico. They prefer open areas such as agricultural fields, grasslands, meadows, and pastures, and their bouncing, irregular flight patterns also make them easy to spot, but difficult to catch for predators. Adult Orange Sulphurs are generalist pollinators, but show a preference for milkweeds, asters, clover, and alfalfa. In fact, there have even been instances when Orange Sulphur caterpillars so voraciously go after alfalfa fields that they have been deemed as a pest in these instances. Orange sulphurs are most active when temperatures are between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and when they aren’t flitting around, you can often see them basking in the sun to heat their cold-bloodied bodies.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/0..

Willow Miner Bee (Andrena andrenoides)

Willow miner bees are solitary, ground-nesting bees, known for their distinctive red abdomens and early appearances in the calendar year. Found throughout the US and northern Mexico, Andrena andrenoides will appear in the early spring from their underground nests to coincide with the bloom of their preferred food, which is pollen from willow trees (Salix).

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/po...

Plants on this year's poster:

American Agave (Agave americana)

American Agave, also commonly known as the American Century Plant, is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. A part of the cactus and succulent grouping, American Agave thrives in dry soil and sunny conditions. Nectar-feeding hummingbirds and insects are the agave’s pollinators, and the plant provides crucial habitat and shelter for animals. Agave species have an extensive history within Indigenous cultures and throughout society. Native groups utilized and continue to perform subsistence farming to semi-domesticize Agave, while others rely/relied on foraging practices. Agave can be used to create natural fibers for clothing, fishing nets, rope, shoes, and string, to ferment beverages, as food, for construction, and most extensively to make tequila.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://academic.oup.com/aob/a...

Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans)

A perennial shrub found in tidal marshes native to southern Florida and the Gulf Coast, Black Mangrove is visited by pollinating insects and is an important source of shelter for fish, mammals and birds. Mangroves are a deeply resilient and crucial species, acting as coastline barriers from storms and tsunamis, as well as providing water filtration. They have traditionally been stewarded by indigenous people in many areas, providing sustenance in forms such as being used as water-resistant wood for boats, buildings, and furniture, acting as nurseries for fish and sea life which these communities rely on for nutrition, and protecting the vital biodiversity of ecosytems.

https://www.culturalsurvival.o...

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-lif...

Pumpkin flower (Cucurbita sp.)

Pumpkins and other species in the squash family are known for their bright yellow and orange floral blooms, which rely on pollination from various types of bees such as honeybees, bumblebees, and the squash bee(featured on the 2025 poster). There are a variety of pumpkin species, both native and non-native to North America, that have a storied history of cultural connections. Pumpkins are one of the earliest cultivated foods in the Western Hemisphere, even preceding corn and beans, and were first harvested in the Oaxaca region of modern day Mexico. Pumpkin has a diverse set of cooking preparations which have solidified its uses throughout different cultures, from roasted and seasoned to hearty soups.

https://aihd.ku.edu/foods/pump...

Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

The Highbush Berry is the native, wild derivative that modern, cultivated blueberries originate from. This Vaccinium species spans the eastern North American continent, and can be found in swamps, bogs, and terrestrial forests. Native bees and bumblebees are the primary pollinators for the Highbush Berry, as well as being a relished food source for many birds and mammals. Native American tribes have utilized the berries of this fruitful shrub for hundreds of generations. Indigenous people and foraging communities utilize the berries, as well as its roots, leaves, and stems, for nutritional and medicinal purposes.

https://extension.illinois.edu....

https://gobotany.nativeplanttr...

https://www.wildflower.org/pla....

Sweetgrass (Hierochloe sp.)

Sweetgrass has an extensive relationship with many Native American groups throughout the continent. Processed into brews, teas, salves, crafted into baskets and perfumery, Sweetgrass is used medicinally, for construction purposes, as well as in ceremonial/spiritual contexts. With various species found throughout North America, Sweetgrass remains interwoven with the history of the land and the people who steward and inhabit it. The pollinators who weave its story together include bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

https://plants.usda.gov/Docume...

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Native to North America and parts of South America, the American Elderberry, also known as Common Elderberry, is a deciduous shrub with white blooms. These white flowers attract various pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, and birds, as well as other wildlife who nest in and eat the plant’s berries, branches, and leaves. Indigenous people utilize the Elderberry for their medicinal and culinary properties, with the berries being able to be made into pies, jellies, and wine.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/pl...

Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia)

Wapato, also known as Arrowhead, is an aquatic perennial common throughout North America, but especially on the Pacific Coast. Various insects pollinate Wapato, and its underground tubers are eaten by wildlife such as snapping turtles, ducks, and muskrats. Multiple Native American groups eat Wapato, and its name to originated with the Cree people.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

A perennial shrub that can grow up to 20 feet tall, Smooth Sumac is found in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. Their blooms, which can produce a range of colors, attract pollinators such as bees, flies, wasps, moths, and butterflies. Indigenous usages include brewing teas, consuming raw as a delicacy, craftwork, and treating sunburns and various other medical afflictions. The sumac’s leaves can even be used to produce natural pigments!

https://www.adkinsarboretum.or....

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://lovenativeplants.com/b...

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)

Black chokeberry, a species in the Rose family, is found throughout the United States and Canada, predominantly the Northeastern region. It produces white flowers and dark purple berries, the berries being used by some indigenous groups for the antioxidant properties and for food. They are pollinated primarily by bees and butterflies.

https://specialtyproduce.com/p....

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

A perennial with yellow flowers, Canada Goldenrod can be found throughout Canada and a majority of the United States. Bees and butterflies pollinate Goldenrod, while also being extremely attractive to various bird species. Canada Goldenrod can be used for medicinial purposes and for making natural dyes. Honey Bees that visit this plant are known to produce a darker colored, delicious honey.

https://www.nativeplantsociety...

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Milkweed is one of the most well known plants that are beneficial to pollinators, with Ascelpias species being host plants and a vital nectar source for butterflies. This perennial is also a favorite of native bees here in North America. Common Milkweed can be found throughout the eastern region of North America. Indigenous groups have used Milkweed in multiple contexts: cooking the premature sprouts, boiling the plant latex and combining with animal fat to create chewing gum, utilizing the fibers to make bowstrings, pillow stuffing, and sleeping pads, as well as for a wide range of medicinal purposes.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://www.adkinsarboretum.or...

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Indigenous cultures have a deeply rooted connection to yarrow. Medicinally, Yarrow can be used to break fevers by increasing perspiration, to treat digestive disorders, and even aiding heal open wounds. In spiritual contexts, Yarrow plays an important significance in many Native American rituals and ceremonies. It can be found throughout most of temperate North America.

https://seedalliance.org/2024/....

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)

The Eastern Prickly Pear is a species of cactus that is native to eastern and central North America. Various species of bee are the primary pollinators for the Eastern Prickly Pear. Indigenous communities ate the Prickly Pear raw, mashed it into jellies and syrups, and utilized the fruit and nopales in medicinal treatments for open wounds and swelling.

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://aihd.ku.edu/foods/pric...

Black Willow (Salix nigra)

A fast growing, resilient perennial tree, the Black Willow is a perennial tree that can be found in moist to wet soil conditions in the central and eastern regions of North America. They play an important role for pollinators, acting as a host plant for moth and butterfly species, as well as being a beneficial species for bumblebees and native bees. Traditionally used in indigenous communities for basketry and weaving, as well as a variety of medicinal usages.

https://plantfinder.nativeplan...

https://www.wildflower.org/pla...

https://gardens.si.edu/collect...

Black eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

The Black Eyed Susan is a host plant and source of pollen for various insect pollinators. It’s native region extends throughout the majority of North America, especially east of the Rocky Mountains. This herb holds ceremonial, spiritual, and medicinal value across many cultures.

https://www.inaturalist.org/ta...

Cultural elements on this year's poster:

Symbolism:

The symbols represented in this year’s poster are derived from the artistic expression of insects in the pottery and drypainting's of two southwestern tribes, the Hopi and the Navajo. The butterfly symbol represented here are present on Hopi pottery and are believed to be related to the concept of kachinas, important figures in Hopi ceremonies. Kachinas are linkages between humans and the gods, and often took the form of insects, including pollinators. The Big Fly and Moth symbols included on this year's poster were derived from records of Navajo drypainting's, which were made from sand, ash, pollen, and other dry material. These drypainting's were often created for ceremonial purposes and destroyed intentionally as part of the ceremony. Pollinator and insect figures in Navajo ceremonies were often symbolic, but at times, as in the case of Big Fly, these figures referenced important characters in Navajo mythology and creation myths.

Ceremonial: Hopi Butterfly Dance

The Hopi people live primarily in northeastern Arizona, and one of their more famous ceremonies is the Hopi Butterfly Dance. Hopi people “maintain a scared covenant with Maasaw, the ancient caretaker of the earth, to live as peaceful and humble farmers respectful of the land and its resources”. This foundational belief is expressed in the Hopi Butterfly Dance, which takes place in the late summer and early fall months. The two-day dance is ceremonial and social; it is performed by young people who are taught the songs and movements by the village men. According to curator Gloria Lomahaftewa of the Hopi [Cloud/Water Clan], Songopavi Village, the Hopi Butterfly Dance “Often evok[es] the world’s natural elements and nature’s gifts; the songs thank the Creator for the Hopi way of life”. The figure depicted on this poster depicts what would traditionally be worn by the young women in this ceremony. The most prominent aspect is the kopatsoki (headdress), created especially for each individual young woman participating in the ceremony, and is adorned with clan symbols designed with bright colors.

Fibers: Navajo Blanket

Weaving with fibers has been practiced throughout generations of indigenous communities and shared across cultures. Displayed on the poster is a Navajo blanket, one of many examples of native communities' practices of weaving. Rugs and blankets were common woven textiles, as well as baskets, clothing, and various fabrics. Materials used to weave included wool and plant fibers such as grasses, bark, reeds, and roots. The creation of these textiles' blends utility, spirituality, and the ceremonial. The design and depictions in the weaving integrate historical and cultural storytelling and teachings passed down to be cultivated by future generations.