The Pollinator Public

When it comes to pollinators most people imagine bumble bees, honeybees, or butterflies. And most people would be correct in identifying this bunch as essential keystone species, a species that is “key” to sustaining life on this giant “stone” humans call Earth. However, bumble bees, honeybees, and butterflies are only a small part of a larger functioning society of pollinators that 80% of flowering plants rely on.

Moths are prolific workers of the pollination nightshift; some plants need a midnight sprinkle of pollen to help with seed production. Kind of like how some humans need that midnight hamburger after a night out to be productive at work the next morning.

While bumble bees and honeybees get all the credit for being the “bee” all end all pollinators, bees native to New York State also do a fair amount of pollinating. Digger bees are the majority population in the state and work their little bee butts off to pollinate. They are particularly beneficial to fruit and vegetable yields.

So next time you go out to smell the flowers, remember that the pollinator public is a diverse society keeping the flowers in bloom.  

For more information and species that make up this diverse society of pollinators visit this link Cornell Cooperative Extension | Native Plants & Pollinators