Special Pit Stops for Nature’s Little Helpers

Monarch butterflies are not only beautiful insects, but also a vital part of nature. Among their many talents, they spread pollen, which helps plants grow fruits, seeds, and new flowers. This is important for farmers because healthy plants mean more available food for people and animals.

During the course of a year, Monarch butterflies travel as far as 6,000 miles back and forth from Canada to Mexico. That’s a lot of frequent flyer miles!

To help monarch butterflies survive their long journey across North America, many communities have created Monarch Waystations. These special gardens provide the two things that monarchs need most: milkweed plants for their caterpillars to eat and nectar flowers for adult butterflies to drink from. Because monarchs travel thousands of miles during their migration, they need safe places to rest and refuel along the way—like tiny butterfly pit stops!

Did you know that you can support these little helpers by creating safe spaces for them to get food and water? The USDA Future Scientists Program helps us understand how to support these beautiful butterflies and other pollinators by creating “pit stops” for their journeys. High school students, for example, helped create such a space in the inner quadrangle at the ARS San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Parlier, CA. 

You too can support farms by creating a Monarch Waystation. It can be as small as a patio pot planted with milkweed and other pollinator plants.

If you are interested in creating a Waystation at your home, school, or local community, check out the Monarch Waystation Program and learn how you can make a garden for these special travelers. By building a Waystation, you can help protect these amazing insects and support their incredible migration year after year.

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A Balanced Diet for Honey Bees 

Honey bees understand the importance of a balanced diet. 

ARS and Texas A&M University researchers observed how nurse bees, who are tasked with feeding developing larvae, regulate their protein-lipid (fats) intake in an experimental study using diets that mimicked pollen. 

“Our study shows that nurse bees favored diets containing 30% protein and 20% lipids,” said Pierre Lau, a research ecologist at the ARS Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research Unit in Stoneville, MS. 

Lau added that nurse bees generally regulate this protein-to-lipid ratio when given a choice between imbalanced diets. According to Lau, this finding showed that bees, like humans, need a balance of proteins and lipids to maintain good health. 

Want to learn more? Read Balance is Key for Nurse Honey Bees’ Diets. 

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Meet the Chimney Bee: A Promising Pollinator for Fruit Crops

As honeybee populations ebb and flow, ARS researchers are turning to native chimney bees to help pollinate crops like blueberries. These gentle, low‑maintenance bees can be relocated, build nests from clay “chimneys,” and excel at pollinating plants that honeybees often overlook. While not yet commercially available, chimney bees show strong potential to boost fruit yields and fill critical pollination gaps—supporting farmers and strengthening food security. Click here to learn more.

Lawn Pollinator Challenge

About the Experiment

Pollinators, such as bees, birds, and butterflies, are essential components of our ecosystem. They help pollinate our food crops and support biodiversity. Pollinators also need food and water themselves to survive, and you may be surprised to learn that your lawn can provide essential nutrients for them. In this experiment, you’ll learn what types of pollinators hover around your lawn, what type of grasses/weeds they feed on, and how mowing your grass can affect pollinator activity in your lawn.

Details

Ages: 5-16 | Time: 10 Minutes a day for about a week | Difficulty: Easy

What You Will Need

• 4 yard stakes

• String

• Tape measure

• Pencil/paper

• Timer (phone or stop watch)

Safety Note: Some pollinators such as bees may sting when confronted or in their flight path. Be careful when observing all pollinators.

Let’s Do This!

• Measure out a 10 ft x 10 ft square in your lawn.

• Add yard stakes to the corners and add string around the stakes to mark the square you will be observing.

• Record when the lawn was last mowed, and measure the height of the grass. Write down all the plant species you see (grass, weeds, dandelions, etc.) If you are unsure of a grass species, take a picture and look it up on your phone.

• Set your timer to 10 minutes, and during that time observe from a safe distance insects/birds that visit your 10x10 area. Write down all insect/bird types and what they are doing (hovering around, landing on a flower, sitting on the grass, etc.)

• Wait a few days until the grass grows approximately 1/2 to 1 inch, and then observe for 10 minutes, recording what you see.

• Wait another few days until the grass grows another 1/2 to 1 inch, and observe again and record what you see.

• Wait until the lawn is freshly mowed, and then observe and notate your observations one last time.

• Make sure to remove the stakes and string when mowing, and then add them back after mowing. Remove the stakes and string at the end of the experiment.

Observations

• How many plant species did you find in your lawn? Do you think having more or less plant species is beneficial for pollinators?

• Which insects/birds frequented your 10x10 square? What did they appear to be doing? What do you think they were looking for?

• As the grass grew longer, did you see fewer or more visitors to your 10x10 square? Did you see more of a certain species (bird, bee, butterfly, etc.) as the grass grew longer?

• What happened after the lawn was mowed? Did you see more or fewer visitors to your 10x10 square?

• What does this experiment tell you about your lawn’s ability to attract pollinators? How does mowing affect pollinator activity in your lawn?

To learn more about ARS’s research on lawns and pollinators, watch this video.

Download the printable "Lawn Pollinator Challenge" project PDF:
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/oc/AgLab/projects/Pollinator-Challenge/Lawn-Pollinator-Challenge.pdf 

Keep Your Apples from Browning

About the Experiment

Apples are a tasty and nutritious treat. However, when sliced they can brown quickly, due to the breaking of the apple’s cell wall and its exposure to air. This chemical exposure produces brown pigment in the flesh of the apple. The apple slices are still safe to eat, but not very appealing looking and could have an off taste. The good news is there are several natural preservatives that can be used to prevent or delay browning when apples are sliced. But which natural preservatives are most effective, and do any affect their taste? Well, let’s find out!

Details

Ages: 5-12 | Time: 1 Hour | Difficulty: Easy

What You Will Need

• Apple slices from four apples (any apple variety will work)

• Water (control)

• 1-2 cups of lemon juice, orange juice, green tea (cold or room temperature) and a vitamin C solution

• 5 clear cups

• Measuring cups

• Paper towels

• Timer

Let’s Do This!

1. Fill each cup separately with 1-2 cups of tap water, lemon juice, orange juice, green tea, and a vitamin C solution.

2. Cut each apple into 4-6 slices (ask an adult for assistance with cutting).

3. Place 2-4 apple slices in each cup, making sure they are submerged into the liquids. Soak the slices for 2 minutes. Set aside 2-4 apple slices to see how they react to no solution.

4. Remove the apple slices from the liquids and place them on paper towels, keeping marks on which apples were in which solution. Do not dry them.

5. Observe any browning of the apple slices at 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes.

6. Mark the results down on a spreadsheet showing the solution (row) and the timeframe (column).

7. You can use a browning scale of 1-5, with 1 being no browning at all, 2 a little browning, 3 some browning, 4 significant browning, and 5 completely brown.

Observations

1. At what time increment did you first start seeing browning on any apple slices? Which solution(s) were they in?

2. Which solution(s) offered the best protection against browning? Which offered the least?

3. Did any solution(s) provide complete protection against browning after 40 minutes?

4. Sample the apples with the least amount of browning. Did any taste different? Did any taste like the liquid they were soaked in?

5. What results surprised you the most, and why?

6. What does this experiment tell you about oxidation and preservation?

7. Do you think natural soaking methods like this are effective in keeping apple slices from browning and still tasting good?

To learn more about ARS’s research on apples, click here.

Download the printable "Keep Your Apples from Browning" project PDF:
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/oc/AgLab/projects/Apples/Keep-Your-Apples-from-Browning.pdf 

The Power of Enzymes

About the Experiment

Enzymes are proteins that speed up specific chemical reactions in our bodies. They spur digestion, energy production, and cell function. Starch is a complex storage carbohydrate found in many foods (grains, potatoes, fruits) and is an integral part of our diet. Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down the starch into the simple sugar glucose.

Humans produce amylase in our saliva to jump start deconstruction of the starch molecules we eat, even before the food reaches our stomachs. In this experiment, we demonstrate the break down of starch to glucose using the amylase enzyme found in ginger root. This is a showcase for the power of enzymes.

Details

Ages: 5-15 | Time: 10 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy

What you Will Need

Let’s Do This!

• Safety Note: Have an adult help with this experiment, including cutting ginger root and applying the iodine solution.

• Make a 1% solution of iodine (dilute 10% over-the-counter solution 10x) by adding 1ml to 9ml of tap water in the spray bottle (any
  volume used is fine, just make a 1% solution that fits in the spray bottle).

• Cut a standard 8.5x11” paper into quarters.

• Select which stamps you want to use.

• Ask an adult to cut slices of fresh ginger root. Rub the ginger juice on the stamp. This will be the invisible “ink”.

• While still damp, stamp a design onto each paper quarter. Each stamp impression should have a fresh coat of the ginger juice “ink”.

• Wait 10-15 seconds. Over a spot that can get messy have the adult “mist” the paper with the 1% iodine solution. Be sure not to spray too heavy a coating.

• The stamp print will remain white (whitish) while the rest of the paper should develop a deep purple color, revealing the art created by the student.

Observations

• The copier paper used for this experiment uses a starch coating to help the paper slip through the copier.

• Ginger root is a good source of amylase and is relatively transparent, so it makes a good invisible ink.

• Iodine (brown/yellow in solution) forms a complex with starch and turns purple. This has been a starch indicator dye for many years. Glucose does not complex with iodine, thus does not form a color.

• The artwork formed is a negative print of the stamp and demonstrates that actions happening in our own bodies are sometimes invisible to the eye until we reveal them with scientific methods and measurement.

• Where do you think enzymes are located in your body, besides your saliva?

• How do enzymes affect your gut health (microbiome)?

• Why is ginger root a good food substance for this experiment?

To learn more about ARS’s research on human health click here.

Download the printable "The Power of Enzymes" project PDF:
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/oc/AgLab/projects/PowerofEnzymes/The-Power-of-Enzymes.pdf 
 

A New Light Against Crop Disease

Scientists at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service have developed a real‑world “ray gun” that uses UV‑C light to stop powdery mildew and other damaging crop diseases—without chemicals. By applying short bursts of UV‑C at night, researchers found they could kill harmful fungi and pests while keeping strawberry plants healthy, opening the door to a safer, more sustainable way to protect crops. With autonomous UV‑C robots already field‑tested for months, this breakthrough is poised to reach growers nationwide. Click here to learn more.

Seeing Rangelands Like Never Before

Healthy rangelands support livestock, protect wildlife, and help reduce wildfire and erosion risks. The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) uses AI and satellite imagery to monitor these landscapes, offering vegetation data dating back to 1984. Now managed by ARS, RAP has been upgraded with high‑resolution Sentinel‑2 imagery, providing sharper mapping of invasive species, woody encroachment, and bare ground. These enhancements give ranchers and land managers the precision they need to detect risks, guide grazing, and keep rangelands productive and resilient. Click here to learn more.

Extracting DNA From Strawberries

About the Experiment

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the molecule that carries genetic instructions in all living organisms. It is found inside cells and is protected by membranes. In other words, DNA tells cells how to grow and work.

Researchers extract DNA from strawberries to determine which cells carry the most promising traits, such as size, color, taste, and disease resistance. Using common household items like dish soap, salt, and rubbing alcohol, we can break open the cells and see what DNA looks like with our own eyes! This experiment is easy to do at home or in school. Parental or teacher supervision is recommended.

Details

Age: 8-12 | Time: 30 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy

What You Will Need

• 3-4 fresh strawberries

• 1 sealable plastic bag

• A few drops of dish soap

• ½ teaspoon of table salt

• ½ cup of water

• 1 coffee filter or cheesecloth

• 1 clear glass or cup

• 2-3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol (must be chilled in freezer for at least 30 minutes). Chilled alcohol helps the DNA clump together and become visible faster.

• 1 spoon or stir stick

Safety Note: Rubbing alcohol is flammable. Please have an adult assist in handling rubbing alcohol carefully and keep it away from flames.

Let's Do This

Prepare the Strawberry:

• Remove the green leaves from the strawberries and put the strawberries in the sealable plastic bag. Mash the strawberries well until they become a pulp (or soupy).

Make the Extraction Solution:

• Mix ½ cup of water, a few drops of dish soap, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup.

• What’s happening here? The soap breaks open the cell walls, and the salt helps release the DNA.

Combine the Strawberry Pulp and Extraction Solution:

• Pour the extraction solution into the bag with the mashed strawberries.

• Seal the bag and gently mix the strawberries and extraction solution for 1 to 2 minutes.

Filter the Strawberry Mixture:

• Place a coffee filter over a clear glass or cup and pour the strawberry mixture through it.

• Let the liquid drip into the glass or cup. This is the DNA-containing solution.

Add Alcohol to the Strawberry Liquid:

• Slowly pour the chilled rubbing alcohol down the side of the glass so it forms a layer on top of the strawberry liquid.

• Tip: Do not mix the liquid. The DNA will appear at the boundary!

Let’s Look At The Results!

• White, stringy clumps will appear in the glass or cup. This is strawberry DNA! Use a spoon or stick to lift it out.

• Make sure to wash your hands after the experiment.

Observations

• Each ingredient has a role in breaking down cells and making DNA visible to the human eye. Dish soap breaks cells open. Salt helps DNA stick together. DNA does not dissolve in alcohol, so it becomes visible.

• Did you know that strawberries have more DNA than humans? Strawberries are octoploid which means their cells contain eight (octo) sets of chromosomes (ploid) in each cell. Humans are diploid with only two (di) sets of chromosomes (one set from each parent). Because of this, it is easier to extract DNA from strawberries.

• Scientists use similar methods to extract DNA for genetic research, forensics, and agriculture.

• This experiment shows how chemistry and biology work together.

• You can do this experiment with other fruits like bananas, kiwis, peas, mangos, and papayas.

To learn more about ARS’s research on strawberries, click here.

Download the printable "Extracting DNA From Strawberries" project PDF:
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/oc/AgLab/projects/StrawberryDNA/Extracting-DNA-From-Strawberries.pdf 

Putting Topsoil Back Where It Belongs

Hilly farms lose topsoil from upper slopes and accumulate it downslope, causing big yield differences. Researchers at Integrated Cropping Systems Research Unit in Brookings, SD, tested moving 6–8 inches of rich soil from lower slopes back to eroded upper areas. The added soil greatly improved nutrients, water availability, and boosted corn and soybean yield by up to roughly 50%. Removing soil from lower slopes had smaller effects but reduced yields in wet years. The study suggests targeted soil‑landscape restoration can help farmers recover productivity on severely eroded land. Click here to learn more.