What you need to know about nature’s indispensable service
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred from the male part of a flower to the female part of a flower. Pollination can happen in a number of ways. These ways include the dispersal of pollen by wind or water, or through the actions of pollinators. Out of all the species of flowering plants, roughly 85 per cent of them rely on pollinators like bees in order to set seed or produce fruit. Some of the animals that perform this service are bees, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and even birds and bats.
Pollination is an important process because it provides us with great economic benefits. Once a flower gets pollinated, it becomes fertilized, which means it can make seeds and fruit. Seeds can be collected and used to start the next generation of the plant, or they can be consumed as food. Fruits are obviously important because they are a part of our diet, as well as many other animals out there. Without pollinators, we wouldn’t have many famous fruits, like apples, berries, cherries, and melons.
In recent years, there has been heightened awareness that pollinators are coming under an increasing amount of threat, and many species are in danger of collapse. The main threats that pollinators face are the loss of habitat and suitable food sources, as well as disease and the use of pesticides.
In order to protect the services performed for us by pollinators, and indeed the pollinators themselves, people living in cities and urban areas can maintain gardens throughout the summer months, while farmers can retain natural pockets of land on their farms – strips of land in between their fields, for instance. Similarly, municipalities can elect to not mow stretches of land adjacent to highways. When these areas are mowed, many plants are denied the opportunity to flower and provide food and habitat for our valuable pollinators.
The use of pesticides is another factor that harms pollinator populations. Particularly concerning is the use of neonicotinoids. These types of pesticides have chemical structures similar to nicotine, act as neurotoxins and are used to kill pest species. While these pesticides do actually kill pests when used as sprays or to treat seeds, many beneficial insects are also negatively affected.
Unfortunately, common practice is to treat seeds such as corn and soybeans pre-emptively, even if there is no threat of damage to crops by pests. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that seed treatment rarely provides any actual benefit. Therefore, the health of pollinator communities could be improved by only using treated seeds or neonicotinoid sprays when threats to crops are clear.
If you’re wondering what you can do to promote healthy pollinators, the first step would be to plant a garden when the warm weather returns. To keep a steady supply of food available for pollinators, aim to always have at least one type of plant flowering at any time during the season. Some species that bees and other pollinators like are sunflowers, morning glories, any type of coneflower, as well as lavender, cosmos, daisies and a variety of native plants.
Through the cultivation of a diverse array of plants in gardens and the conservation of pollinator habitat further afield, the health and resilience of pollinators can be safeguarded. With the maintenance of healthy pollinator populations, we can continue to live a life of plenty, and be secure in the knowledge that pollinators and the plants that are so intimately connected with them will be around for many years to come.