In this article, we are going to discuss the benefits of pollinators and how to attract pollinators to your garden, and how to attract them to your garden. Pollinators are any animal or insect that causes plants to produce fruit or seeds by distributing the pollen from one plant or flower to another.
Pollinator Week is celebrated June 20-26 and is actually celebrated internationally, during this time of the year dedicate yourself to learn more about the values of pollinators and plant a pollinator plant in your yard.
Top Pollinators to Attract to your garden
Bees
There are more than 16,000 species of bees with over 4000 in the United States. They are the workers behind the scene to pollinate our food supply. The bumblebee may be the first insect from the bee species that are put on the endangered list this year due to their rapid population decrease.
Pollinator plants bees prefer are bee balm, purple coneflowers, lavender, and Black-eyed Susan.
Everything Bees websites I recommend for starting your beekeeping.
Ladybugs
Ladybugs are one of the best pollinators to have in your garden not only for pollination but also to eat aphids (Which they love to eat). They are most attracted to Cosmos, Dill, Alyssum, Marigolds, and Roses. They are good pollinators for dill, beans, and cilantro.
When I started to clean up my garden beds this year I found an abundance of ladybugs that stayed over the winter from last year, so be careful not to harm them if you are lucky enough to have ladybugs in your garden.
Ants
Ants do a great job pollinating plants as they forage for food to take back to their nests spreading the pollen from plants. Ants are great at collecting nectar and seeds and spreading them out.
Butterflies
There are many types of butterflies and they mostly enjoy these plants like yarrow, milkweed, coneflower, butterfly bush, alyssum, and calendula which have large clusters of flowers. The Monarch butterfly has seen a decrease in its population by 94% since 2004 due to deforestation and extreme weather conditions changes that have occurred in their migration from Mexico to the U.S.
Birds
The most beneficial pollinator from the bird family is the hummingbird. They are constantly looking for food from flowers that produce nectar, and they love red-colored flowers. They love to feed on perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks. Since they are such voracious feeders they can pollinate a lot of plants.
Bats
Bats may not pollinate your garden as much as the world’s food supply, here are the plants they pollinate Avacado, Saguaros, agave, cocoa, bananas, mangoes, guavas, and eucalyptus.
What is harming these pollinators today?
Pesticides
Pesticides used by homeowners, landscapers, and cities are one of the top killers of our bees and other pollinators. These pesticides are not just harmful being airborne, but also on plants and can actually be absorbed into the plant and in the pollen, the plants produce which can kill the pollinators. Neonicotinoids are a group of insecticides used widely that are so harmful.
Deforestation
Deforestation reduces natural habitats for bee colonies including vegetation needed for bees and other pollinators. The lack of forests is directly linked to the decline of the pollinator population.
Climate Changes
Climate changes are impacting the migration patterns of pollinators and the flowers they feed on, the plants bloom earlier and the bees and butterflies may not be in the area to feed on the plant and pollinate them which impacts both the plants and the insects endangering them.
Invasive pests and diseases
Invasive species affect both pollinating animals and pollinated plants by disrupting the structure and function of ecosystems, native plants have a purpose and when they are removed the impact can be detrimental to pollinators that had depended on them. A good example of an invasive pest that impacts bees is parasitic mites that kill bees.
Urban expansion and loss of habitat
Urban expansion negatively impacts pollinators by reducing nesting areas, food sources, and a habitat that supports their needs. Urban development increases the temperatures which not only negatively impacts the pollinators but also the plants that the pollinators depend on.
Why are pollinators important for your garden?
These animals and insects do the job that we cannot do in pollinating our plants and improving the production of our garden.
Without pollinators working our gardens and the farms we would not have enough food to support the food chain.
Imagine you wake up and you don’t have a cup of coffee to drink or you walk through your yard to not have a scent from your favorite flowers or see the vibrant colors of your flower beds. This is what it would be like if our pollinators die off.
Why are pollinators important for our environment?
Pollinators are vital to our environment, animals need plants to produce food and shelter for them. They sustain our ecosystem by helping plants reproduce. They provide us with the majority of the food we eat in the world today.
What you can do to improve habitats for pollinators?
Honey Bees
Hives provide a place for honey bees to raise their brood and to keep them safe from inclement weather. It is the base camp where the bees produce honey. The honey bee hives that are built for them help to sustain our pollinators and ensure a strong population of bees in an area around farms and orchards.
Best Honey Bee hives and information
[amalinkspro type=”showcase” asin=”B08FSY3HGJ” apilink=”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FSY3HGJ?tag=gardeningtidbits-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1″ new-window=”true” addtocart=”false” nofollow=”true” sc-id=”4″ img-sizes=”399:500″ imgs=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51kHtKJNSAL._SL500_.jpg” link-imgs=”false” specs=”Everything you need to Beekeeping~~~Basic to advance information on beekeeping~~~~~~Easy information to understand” btn-color=”#ff9900″ btn-text=”Check Today’s Price” alignment=”alignnone” hide-prime=”0″ hide-image=”0″ hide-price=”0″ hide-button=”0″ width=”750″ banner=””]Beekeeping For Dummies[/amalinkspro]
[amalinkspro type=”showcase” asin=”B08QMNBC85″ apilink=”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QMNBC85?tag=gardeningtidbits-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1″ new-window=”true” addtocart=”false” nofollow=”true” sc-id=”4″ img-sizes=”500:500″ imgs=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51VAw95pEuS._SL500_.jpg” link-imgs=”false” specs=”1 Assembled Deep Brood Box (14″ x 19-7/8″ x 9-5/8″) Coated with 100% Beeswax~~~Unassembled 8 Deep Brood Frames Made From high Quality Pine Wood and 8 Foundation Sheets Made From Black Food Grade Plastic Dipped in 100% Beeswax~~~ ncludes Wax Coated Solid Bottom Board, Telescoping Top Cover, Inner Cover, Queen Excluder and Entrance Reducer~~~Durable Material” btn-color=”#ff9900″ btn-text=”Check Today’s Price” alignment=”alignnone” hide-prime=”0″ hide-image=”0″ hide-price=”0″ hide-button=”0″ width=”750″ banner=””]Beehive Starter Kit 8-Frame Bee Boxes and Frames Starter Kit Wax Coated Bee Hives and Supplies Starter Kit [/amalinkspro]
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Mason Bee House
Mason bees are 120 times more effective at pollinating than honey bees since the pollen stays with them. The Mason bee is active even on cool wet days when honey bees need warmer temperatures to be out pollinating. Several Mason bees can pollinate an entire apple tree.
Best Mason Bee houses to purchase
[amalinkspro type=”showcase” asin=”B095VY6JB7″ apilink=”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095VY6JB7?tag=gardeningtidbits-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1″ new-window=”true” addtocart=”false” nofollow=”true” sc-id=”4″ img-sizes=”500:500″ imgs=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BQOucFT-S._SL500_.jpg” link-imgs=”false” specs=”Size is L*W*H: 6.69 x 7.67 x 11.81 inches, providing a long enough tubes in 5.9’’ length and 5/16’’ diameter for solitary native bees.~~~WATER PROOF~~~DURABLE CONSTRUCTION~~~NATURAL MATERIAL” btn-color=”#ff9900″ btn-text=”Check Today’s Price” alignment=”alignnone” hide-prime=”0″ hide-image=”0″ hide-price=”0″ hide-button=”0″ width=”750″ banner=””]TOOBEETT Mason Bee House Wax Coated Mason Bee Hive [/amalinkspro]
Butterflies and Moths
Not only are butterflies good pollinator’s they are beautiful to watch and add vibrant color and interest to your garden. They are vital pollinators drinking the nectar of plants and pollinating them as they go. They also are a good food source for others such as birds and bats
Best Butterfly drinking station
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Ladybugs
Ladybugs not only pollinate the plants but also eat predators such as aphids. They are great for children to spread in the garden and see how they can help the garden to be organic by using them in place of harsh chemicals to rid the garden of pests. As you introduce them in your garden you can watch year by year the population increase without introducing new ladybugs.
Best place to buy Ladybugs
[amalinkspro type=”showcase” asin=”B08PSHLXWF” apilink=”https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PSHLXWF?tag=gardeningtidbits-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1″ new-window=”true” addtocart=”false” nofollow=”true” sc-id=”4″ img-sizes=”500:425″ imgs=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61eWwJ51+uL._SL500_.jpg” link-imgs=”false” specs=”Includes a Ladybug educational sheet~~~” btn-color=”#ff9900″ btn-text=”Check Today’s Price” alignment=”alignnone” hide-prime=”0″ hide-image=”0″ hide-price=”0″ hide-button=”0″ width=”750″ banner=””]NaturesGoodGuys – Live Ladybugs 300 count[/amalinkspro]
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Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds can drink up to 2/3 of their body weight each day drinking nectar so they can pollinate a lot of flowering plants in your garden. They love any brightly colored flowers that hold nectar and are great to feed from feeders we supply them food with to make sure they stay around.
Best Hummingbird feeders
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I hope you have enjoyed this article on the benefits of pollinators and join in the movement to attract pollinators to your garden.
