As lives have become busier, it might be easy to forget to look around and remember the beauty of what we see and that the abundance of what we have to eat comes from our pollinator friends.
Here are some simple stats:
90% of all flowering plants rely on animals to pollinate them.
35% of the world’s food requires pollination. Pollinators have a $235 billion economic value globally. “The birds and the bees” play a large role in our world.
In this article, we will cover what pollination is, who the pollinators are, and what they tend to pollinate. Then please join us next month to discuss pollinator garden basics so we can play a role in this exquisite, elaborate ecosystem.
What is pollination?
The spreading of pollen from the male parts to the female parts of a flower of the same species, resulting in the production of seeds and fruits.
Who are pollinators?
There is a diverse population of pollinators because there are a diverse population of plants. It is important to understand how each acts as a pollinator so we can plan out our pollinator garden effectively.
Birds: A diverse array of bird species play a role. Many are familiar with the beauty of a hummingbird. As it visits a flower to draw out nectar, its body picks up pollen grains that get transferred to other flowers. They aren’t the only ones though. There are honeycreepers doing important work in Hawaii and whitewinged doves supporting the Sonoran Desert.
The types of flowers birds visit are tubular with brightly colored petals that curve to get out of the way, tend to be open during the day, and have strong support to enable perching.
Bees: Bees (with over 20,000 species worldwide) are the best known pollinators. In Texas, bumblebees, carpenter bees, leafcutting bees, and mason bees are common.
Bumblebees help pollinate by grabbing at a flower and this jarring of the flower dislodges
