Monarch Butterfly on a Coneflower

On August 3, 2017, in Richmond, VA, the U.S. Postal Service^® will issue the Protect Pollinators stamps (Forever^® priced at 49 cents), in five designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps. The Protect Pollinators $9.80 pane of 20 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually. The stamps will go on sale nationwide August 3, 2017.

The U.S. Postal Service pays tribute to the beauty and importance of pollinators with stamps depicting two of our continent’s most iconic: the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and the western honeybee (Apis mellifera), each shown industriously pollinating a variety of plants native to North America.

The stamps feature:

• A monarch and a coneflower (photo by Karen Mayford)
• A western honeybee and a golden ragwort (photo by George D. Lepp)
• A monarch and a zinnia (photo by Bonnie Sue Rauch)
• A western honeybee and a New England aster (photo by Michael Durham)
• A monarch and goldenrod (photo by Justin Fowler).

The remainder of the stamps in this pane recur in a scattered arrangement reminiscent of a field of wildflowers. The selvage photograph features a monarch and a goldenrod — a different view of the same two species depicted on one of the stamps (photo by Justin Fowler). These particular species exemplify the ecological service provided by all pollinators, which include other insects, birds, and bats. Trending declines in their populations alert us that pollinators now need mindful human intervention in order to thrive. Individuals can help butterflies, bees, and other pollinators by planting pollinator gardens that include native flowers or heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables. Art director Derry Noyes designed this stamp pane with existing photographs.