Murfreesboro, TN - Pollinators are vanishing across Middle Tennessee—and it’s not just your imagination if the butterflies and bees seem fewer this summer. That’s the message the Rutherford County UT-TSU Agricultural Extension Service is sounding with renewed urgency ahead of Thursday’s “Action Line” broadcast on WGNS, where a local Master Gardener will outline how residents can reverse the trend.

Bee and butterfly populations have declined drastically across the U.S., with butterfly numbers down are 22% nationally since 2000 and some species dropping by over 40%. In Rutherford County and surrounding areas, the situation is especially concerning. Experts attribute the crisis to overlapping factors such as pesticide use, urban expansion, climate shifts, and even light pollution. Neonicotinoid chemicals used in gardening and farming have been singled out for causing disorientation and reproductive issues among pollinators.

One species hitting home for Tennesseans is the monarch butterfly—now classified as threatened with extinction. With monarch migration and reproduction disrupted by climate change and habitat loss, the state has stepped in with programs like Project Milkweed. The initiative provides free milkweed seeds to residents and schools to help restore natural breeding grounds.

The Rutherford County Extension Service hopes that public engagement will spark local action. Planting native flowers and skipping pesticides in home gardens can make an immediate difference. Creating pollinator-friendly yards and supporting community conservation efforts are other ways Middle Tennessee residents can help stabilize declining populations.

Don't miss the "Action Line" on WGNS this Thursday (8/7/2025) morning (8:15-9:00AM, CDT). Master Gardener Debbie Strobel is the guest. She will highlight: protecting pollinators and preserving ecosystems that sustain agriculture, biodiversity, and local beauty. Every buzzing bee and fluttering wing plays a role—and it’s not too late to act.

Note: For newcomers to this community, WGNS broadcasts at FM 101.9 and AM 1450 in Murfreesboro, FM 100.5 in Smyrna, TN, stream live at wwwWGNSradio.com, podcasts on all major worldwide sites.

Also, attend the Rutherford County Farmers Market every Tuesday and Friday morning (7:00AM-1:00PM). Walk through the Master Gardener's pollinator gardens that are located beside the pond. It's all at the Lane Agri-Park, 315 John R. Rice Blvd., next to PAW's and just down from Sam's. Our local Farmers Market is celebrating its 50th anniversary.