The Buzz Around Town: Meet Arlington’s Native Bees on May 20, 2026

Published on May 12, 2026

Did you know that over 80% of Texas’ native plants—and billions of dollars in U.S. food production—depend on the hard work of native bees? With nearly 800 species of native bees in the Lone Star State, these tiny powerhouses are the backbone of our local ecosystem.

In honor of World Bee Day, join Arlington’s Stormwater Education Specialist Melissa Walker for a free community presentation to discover the native bees of Arlington from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2026, The event will be held at the Southwest Branch Library, 3311 SW Green Oaks Blvd.

Following the presentation, guests are invited to a guided walk through the Ruthie Jackson Native Plant and Pollinator Demonstration Garden at the Southwest Branch Library to see these hard workers in action.

Healthy bees mean a healthy Arlington. Native bees do more than just pollinate; they provide ecosystem services that support wildlife and native plant communities in the following ways:

• Native plant diversity provides food and shelter for birds and other wildlife
• Pollinator habitat helps remove pollutants from stormwater runoff improving local water quality
• Diverse plant communities prevent erosion and maintain healthy watersheds 
• Flowering plants help return moisture to the atmosphere which is integral to the water cycle
• Flowering plants utilize carbon dioxide to produce oxygen.

Making use of native and adapted plants in landscapes and gardens; applying Integrated Pest Management strategies; and providing food, water and nesting places for native bee species can help all our local pollinators.  

Learn more about native bees and pollinators by visiting Arlington’s Bee City USA webpage, www.arlingtontx.gov/beecityusa.