Banner image by Melissa Sprenne

The Richland Library of Ballentine recently held a program on pollinators during National Pollinator week that included a presentation on South Carolina’s native pollinators by Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager and a tour of the library’s pollinator gardens. Three native pollinator gardens were installed on Earth Day last year by SCWF staff, community volunteers, and partner organizations to support wildlife and educate local citizens on how to garden for wildlife – read about it here!

While enjoying a slice of cake, attendees learned about the importance of pollinators and the challenges they face in our growing world. They also learned about species such as the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, different types of bees and wasps, and even other pollinators like reptiles, amphibians, and birds that can be found in the gardens. Native plants that can be found in the garden include mountain mint, coral honeysuckle, and whorled tickseed, which are all important food sources for pollinators.

Attendees were given insect identification guides using photos taken by Melissa Sprenne, Library Associate for Richland Library of Ballentine. Melissa has also taught native plant gardening classes to library visitors and holds regular programs to help the community learn more about the native wildlife in the area. Children and adults were excited to find all the species on their ID guide, plus others that haven’t been seen at the gardens before!

Interpretive nature signs accompany each garden and help to educate the thousands of visitors exploring the property. Plans are in the works to offer seeds and cuttings from the gardens in addition to the seed library that contains packets of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds for visitors to take home and plant in their own gardens. The library also has a large collection of books and field guides for those interested in learning more about how to identify insects, native plants, and how to create habitat for pollinators. Check out the library’s website to see their full collection and view upcoming events. The library will hold its first BioBlitz in September, which is a communal citizen-science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible! Check our events page to sign up for this fun morning looking for critters in the garden with others!

We’ve observed many many customers wandering through the fences and reading the signage – actual reading and not just glancing at them. We added a bench and we have seen customers relaxing out there when it’s not too hot.

— Melissa Sprenne, Richland Library of Ballentine