Upcoming
​author events
​

June 21, 2025
Pollinator Celebration,
Maiden Rock, WI

July 29, 2025
Perennial Plant Association Conference,
​Des Moines, IA

RECENT NEWS/PRESS

In April 2025, Heather was interviewed for this Sierra Magazine article.
Heather's Wasps book was recently reviewed in The Canadian Field-Naturalist.
Heather's work was recently featured in the New York Times
In March 2025, Heather was featured on The WildStory podcast.
In June 2024, Heather spoke with Tom and Fran, hosts of the Native Plants Healthy Planet podcast.
Heather was interviewed for a May 2023 Penn State Extension Master Gardener article about gardening for native bees.
In July 2024, Heather was featured on the Minnesota Gardening podcast.
Heather's Wasps book was recently reviewed in the American Entomologist, Volume 69, Issue 1, Spring 2023 issue. 
In April 2023, Heather's book, Pollinators of Native Plants, was recommended in the New York Times 
Wasps was awarded the 2022 American Horticultural Society Book Award and 2022 Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Award (Nature)

books

POLLEN SPECIALIST NATIVE BEES

SUBSCRIBE TO MY Youtube channel @NativeBeesWasps

Soft Landings

NEW! graphics
​and handout

Flower-associated WASP FACT SHEETS
FREE FOR EDUCATIONAL USE

REGIONAL NATIVE PLANT LISTS FOR WASPS  
Free for educational use

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UPPER MIDWEST
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MIDWEST
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GULF COAST
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GREAT LAKES
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NORTHEAST
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ATLANTIC MARITIME
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SOUTHEAST
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MID-ATLANTIC

  The BUZZ ABOUT WASPS

WINNER OF SEVEN BOOK AWARDS

reviews of wasps
"In her latest guide to pollinators, Heather Holm again shows her profound knowledge of insects and skill as a teacher. This time the spotlight is on wasps, a diverse group of insects whose vital ecological roles as predators and pollinators are at odds with their common reputation (among humans!) as pests. 
Unlike her previous guides, which were organized by plant, here each section covers a family of wasps, in total covering 150 flower-visiting species from eastern North America. Heather offers a detailed description of each insect’s life cycle, nesting habits, nectar forage plants, and more. This along with the beautiful, high-resolution images of each species, make this the go-to resource for understanding and identifying wasps, accessible to the beginner as well as the expert."
— Grow Native Mass
https://grownativemass.org/Great-Resources/best-books

RECENT BOOK REVIEWS AND PRESS
​
Newspaper and Magazine Articles
Sierra Magazine
Article in the New York Times
Article in the Star Tribune
Article in Sun Sailor 
Interview
with Jason Kay, author of Garden in the City
Online Articles
Penn State Extension
Radio Appearances and Podcast Interviews 
The WildStory Podcast
​KAXE Morning Show
​Joe Gardener, Bees​
CBC - As It Happens 4-18-22
In Defense of Plants Podcast Interview - Wasps
Grow it, Minnesota with Mary Schier
Joe Gardener, Wasps
​Joe Gardener, Pollinators of Native Plants
​Bird Hugger Podcast
​Bird Hugger Podcast
In Defense of Plants Podcast Interview
​Kim Eierman, EcoBeneficial! Interview
Growing Greener with Thomas Christopher
Backyard Ecology
The Native Plant Podcast Interview
Food Freedom Radio, AM950
A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach
Growing Greener with Thomas Christopher
Earthworms podcast with Jean Ponzi
​​Bellevue Native Plant Society Nebraska Podcast
​KAXE Morning Show, April 2023 
​Native Plants Healthy Planet Podcast 
Minnesota Gardening Podcast
Book Reviews
Ecological Landscaping Alliance
​Book review by Kate Harries owner of Return of the Native
Review by Ellen Honeycutt, author of Using Georgia Native Plants 
MN State Horticultural Society Review
​Natural Shore Technologies Book Club Conversation 
Grow Native Mass
The Prairie Ecologist
Bug Eric
​Minnesota State Horticultural Society

AN INFORMATION-PACKED GUIDE TO FLOWER-VISITING
​WASPS THAT OCCUR IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
​
WASPS  is the first full-color, illustrated guide featuring approximately 150 species of flower-visiting wasps, and the specific native plants and habitat each species depends upon. Written with an ecological lens, this richly-illustrated book details wasp diversity and has full-page profiles for each wasp species that include identification tips, geographic range maps, biology, prey, natural history and habitat. 

Five introductory chapters cover wasp taxonomy, nesting biology, prey-hunting behaviors, diet, anatomy, as well as wasp habitat enhancement and management, and the ecosystem services provided by wasps—insect pest population control and pollination. Profiles of each wasp species comprise the major part of the book and are organized by family, showcasing twelve families and sixty-eight wasp genera. Also included are eastern North American regional native plant guides, tips on wasp observation, and over 1000 stunning photographs. 

​This is an essential book for conservationists, naturalists, insect enthusiasts, biologists, nature photographers, native plant aficionados, and anyone interested in beneficial insects and pollinators.

PREVIEW

BOOK AWARDS 

Bees: An identification and native plant forage guide

Preview inside the book
Purchase a copy
2018 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Book Award
2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner (NGIBA): Regional Non-Fiction, Finalist: Science, Nature, Environment
​2017 National Indie Excellence Award (NIEA) Winner: Nature
2017 Independent Publisher Silver Book Award (IPPY): Environment, Ecology, and Nature
2018 Midwest Independent Publishing Association (MIPA) Finalist Book Award: Nature
​BEE IDENTIFICATION SECTION
  • A comprehensive guide illustrating the bees that occur in north-central and eastern United States and southern Canada
  • ​In-depth profiles of 27 bee genera  covering  the life cycles, habitats, diet, foraging behaviors, crops pollinated, nesting lifestyles, seasonality, and preferred native forage plants
  • 12 additional summary profiles for uncommon genera
PLANT SECTION: WHAT TO PLANT FOR BEES
  • Comprehensive profiles 100 native trees, shrubs, and perennials for the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast regions including insect and bird visitation information and bee specializations
  • ​Over 1500 stunning photographs, detailed descriptions, and accessible science​ 
2018 American Horticultural Society (AHS) Book Award Summary
This book packs in a wealth of practical and scientifically accurate information about North American native bee species and the plants that support them. Judges praised it for emphasizing and explaining the importance of plant-pollinator relationships in an accessible, useable format. Sample comments from the award judges:
  • "extremely well-written with beautiful photographs, serving as an excellent resource for identifying the different bees in your garden"
  • "outstanding job of connecting native bees to plants"
  • "it's hard to imagine a more complete reference on this topic with such a clear and readable format." 
SUPPORT NATIVE BEE RESEARCH
For every book purchased, one dollar is donated to the University of Minnesota Wild Bee Squad to support native bee research.  Purchase online

INSTAGRAM @Beesnativeplants