When South Carolina joined the Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSePC) in 2022, K-12 students and educators across the state were among the first to participate in the two-day event. This year more families and group participated in making every pollinator count in South Carolina.
Amy L. Dabbs
adabbs@clemson.edu
South Carolina Coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census
South Carolina demonstrated strong engagement in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, with 319 observations contributed by 541 participants across the state. These efforts documented a diverse and abundant pollinator population, with bumble bees (3,507) and butterflies and moths (3,326) representing the most frequently observed groups. Additional counts included 1,652 small bees, 1,431 flies, 1,516 other insects, 1,097 carpenter bees, 1,006 wasps, and 772 honeybees.
Among native species in South Carolina, pollinator activity was most frequently observed on mountain mint, followed by black-eyed Susan and maypop, with additional visits recorded on anise hyssop. These findings highlight the strong role that native flowering plants play in supporting pollinators.
Collectively, these results highlight both the biodiversity of pollinators in South Carolina and the strong community participation supporting conservation and awareness efforts statewide.
