Town of Okotoks buzzing with activity for Pollinator Week

Okotoks is in the midst of Pollinator Week, which highlights the vital role bees, butterflies, and other pollinators play in local ecosystems.

This marks the fourth year the town has recognized Pollinator Week as an official Bee City; a title Okotoks earned in 2021.

"We have over 300 species of native bees in Alberta, not including the honeybee, which is actually not native to Canada," said Avery Kaszas, one of the Town of Okotoks’ environmental educators. "Honeybees are mainly used in agriculture and aren’t allowed in Okotoks. We have a no-beekeeping bylaw to prevent people from keeping honeybees in their backyards. This helps us focus on supporting native bees like bumblebees, sweat bees, and leafcutter bees."

The town has a full slate of activities planned for Pollinator Week, including a Pollinator Party on Wednesday, July 16.

"We'll have a variety of crafts and activities," said Kaszas. "There will be painted rocks to place around the community as a reminder of our Bee City commitment, and we'll also be giving away plants and flower seeds to help turn your backyard into a pollinator paradise."

The Pollinator Party runs from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Environmental Education Centre.

A week-long Pollinator Bioblitz is also underway, encouraging residents to log sightings of local pollinators and flowering plants using the iNaturalist app.

Anyone who participates in a Pollinator Week activity will be entered to win a pollinator prize pack.

More information on the weeklong event can be seen on the Town of Okotoks' website.