A pollinator is anything that helps carry pollen from the male part of the flower (stamen) to the female part of the same or another flower (stigma). Over 100,000 invertebrates—including bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, wasps, and flies — and more than a thousand mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians take on the job of pollinating plants. This biodiverse group of wildlife buzzes, flutters, and creeps from plant to plant, dining on protein-rich pollen and high-energy nectar. As they move, they transport and deposit pollen, fertilizing plants and allowing those plants to reproduce.

From bees to bats and butterflies to beetles, pollinators play a pivotal role in our ecosystem. Bees are among our most important pollinators, with bee populations providing nearly one-third of our food supply and allowing wild plants to produce the foods that form the natural food web base. The iconic monarch butterfly, another impressive pollinator, spreads pollen as it feeds on the nectar of wildflowers while undertaking its stunning 3,000-mile migration from Canada to Mexico and back each year.

Bats are also incredible pollinators, pollinating the fragrant, white, or pale flowers that bloom at night and dispersing the seeds of more than 300 plant species. Can you imagine life without cashews, mangos, carob, dates, figs, papaya, guava, and cloves? These are a few of the many plants which depend on bats for their survival. Bats, hummingbirds, ants, beetles, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, and even lizards are “busy as bees” each spring and summer pollinating flowers.

Did you know that some of the world’s top pollinators are flies? Long-tongue flies, gnats, and yes, even male mosquitoes! Some male mosquitoes help pollinate rare orchids; the pollen grains actually stick to their eyes as they travel from flower to flower. When they dip their proboscis (mouth tube) into the flower to take a sip of nectar, the pollen grains mix, and pollination takes place.¹

1. PollinatorLIVE! https://pollinatorlive.pwnet.org/teacher/info.php

Flowering plants are much more common than non-flowering plants. The success of flowering plants is primarily due to the flower’s close relationship with animals in the process called pollination. Over time, flowers have developed adaptations to ensure that the best pollinator for their species will visit and often return to feed. In fact, flowers’ fragrance, bright colors, nourishing nectar, and varied shapes are considered adaptations to attract specific pollinators. For example, the bright colors of flower petals are thought to help flowers stand out against a green background. Many flowers, such as a black-eyed susan, have a bull’s eye pattern of color to focus animal attention on the part of the flower with pollen and nectar. Violets have both a weak bull’s eye pattern and “nectar-guides”— a pattern that radiates out from the nectar cup. Many flowers have nectar guides, which aren’t always visible to the human eye.

Birds and bees find different flowers attractive, largely due to differences in the animal senses. Birds have a poor sense of smell but a keen color vision. Bees use both color and odors to find a suitable flower. The shape of the flower also plays a role in determining the kind of pollinator who can feed from the flower. Butterflies must have a perch to land on while feeding. Hummingbirds can hover in front of the flower and so don’t need a place to land. Pollinators have also adapted to ensure that they will have access to flower nectar. Animal

adaptations include a sense of smell, color, preferences, beak shape (especially noticeable in hummingbirds), and tongue length.

The activity children will complete has them making flower observations as pollinators come and go, then asks them to consider why some pollinators frequent specific flowers more than or instead of others.

More than 85 percent of flowering plants require an insect for pollination, which allows for fruit and seed production. These fruits and seeds are a part of the diet of about 25 percent of birds and many mammals. Each year pollinators affect $577 billion in global crops, including $235 billion in the United States. Native bees pollinate an estimated 15 percent of U.S fruit, nut, vegetable, and field crops.

Planting a pollinator garden doesn’t have to be a big undertaking. Any size is excellent. From window and patio planters to home gardens, to pathways and roadsides, to acres of prairies and meadows - all can support pollinator populations. Besides the usual habitat elements, food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young, pollinator habitats have some specific qualities.

● Use plants that provide nectar and pollen sources;

● Be situated in sunny areas with windbreaks;

● Create “pollinator targets” of native and non-invasive plants;

● Establish continuous bloom throughout the growing season; and

● Eliminate or minimize the impact of pesticides.