Native pollinators include hoverflies, houseflies, moths, wasps, beetles, hummingbirds and even bats and small mammals.
"Hoverflies are efficient pollinators, coming second to bees during pollination studies." Photo by Karalyn Lamb
In an insightful article entitled "Everything You Wanted to Know About Bees and Other Pollinators," Nick Dorian, a founder of the Tufts Pollinator Initiative, encourages us to appreciate the beauty and diversity of our native pollinators.
According to Nick, " Pollinating insects are the backbone of the ecosystem. They help wild plants reproduce. They make sure that there’s food for other critters, and that cascades throughout the ecosystem. For example, many songbirds depend on bee-pollinated plants to migrate. Bees are by far the most important crop pollinators, but many animals that visit flowers are capable of helping plants reproduce. Some wasps are pollinators, as are hover flies, houseflies, moths, and hummingbirds."
How can we help pollinators? Nick uses a helpful mnemonic: SEEDS:
S stands for Spread native flowers
E is for Employ a life-cycle approach
E is also for Eliminate Pesticides
D is for Discover what’s around you, and
S is for Spread the word
Read the full article HERE.