The Mystery of the Missing Ducklings

The vegetable garden bloomed beautifully this spring — but the tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers barely produced fruit. Bees are missing from the flowers. As Field Scientist, you must figure out WHY pollinators aren't visiting, and recommend changes.

• EX-01The garden has plenty of flowers but very few visiting insects.
• EX-02A neighbor recently sprayed for mosquitoes.
• EX-03The garden has no native flowering plants — only vegetables.
• EX-04There is no water source for insects within 100 feet.
• EX-05Last summer, bee activity in this garden was strong.

1. Day 1
   Sit by the garden for 15 minutes. Count and identify every flying insect you see.
2. Day 2
   Test which flowers attract the most pollinators — set up a 'flower buffet' with 3 different blooms.
3. Day 3
   Research 3 likely causes for pollinator decline in your area.
4. Day 4
   Recommend 5 specific plant additions native to your region.
5. Day 5
   Build a small pollinator water station and add it to the garden.

Other tracks tackle this same case at their own depth — see the catalog.

If you have no garden, run the count at any flowering plant — even sidewalk weeds. The skills (quantified observation, hypothesis, recommendation) work anywhere.