FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2021
MEDIA CONTACTS: Gordon Tepper, Rebecca Cheng, Matthew Leonenko and Michael Anderson | (516) 869-7794

North Hempstead, NY – This past year, Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board were pleased to participate in two community science research projects to aid pollinators. These projects included the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) and the Empire State Native Pollinator Survey (ESNPS).

“I am so proud of the work the Town has done to bring attention to pollinator populations both here in North Hempstead and throughout the country,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “We hope the information that has been collected will help further research on monarchs and conservation of native insects in New York State.”

MLMP is a collaborative effort by the Monarch Joint Venture and University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum that uses volunteers from across the United States and Canada to collect long-term data on monarch distribution and abundance during the breeding season.

ESNPS, administered by the NY Natural Heritage Program in partnership with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, aims to determine the conservation status of a variety of native insect pollinators throughout New York. With many pollinator species in decline, this survey’s goal is to provide a more concrete picture on the status of pollinating insects.

With assistance from the Town’s Environmental Control Specialist, Meagan Fastuca, North Hempstead monitored for the MLMP at the end of May when monarchs began arriving on Long Island from southern states. Each year the eastern population of monarchs spend the winter in Mexico before migrating north in the spring. Monitoring including counting monarch eggs, larvae, and pupae on over 100 common milkweed plants each week in Clark Botanic Garden’s pollinator garden. Data including monarch density or the number of monarchs per milkweed plant was submitted online to the MLMP. To view the monitoring results at Clark Garden visit: https://app.mlmp.org/Results/SiteResults?siteId=5919.

Surveying for pollinators for the ESNPS included taking pictures of the bees, flies, butterflies, moths and beetles seen at Clark Botanic Garden, Gerry Park and Ridder’s Pond Park. These photos were submitted to the ESNPS and will be combined with other submissions to determine the conservation status of a variety of pollinating insect species. To view the Town’s submissions to the project visit: www.inaturalist.org/observations?user_id=nhsustain.

The Town encourages its residents to participate in the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project for 2021 by monitoring milkweed in your own yard or local park. For more information on the project visit: www.monarchjointventure.org/mlmp. Also, to learn more about attracting and helping monarchs and other pollinators in your own yard, visit: www.northhempsteadny.gov/sustainability.

This 5th instar monarch at Clark Garden has very distinct yellow, black and white stripes.


Lemon cuckoo-bumble bee feeding on Joe-pye weed at Clark Botanic Garden.



Red milkweed beetle on common milkweed at Clark Botanic Garden.