Jennifer Ruscilli

Let’s Celebrate Pollinators!

BY JENNIFER RUSCILLI, CHEROKEE COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

June and July mark the beginning of summer, but these months also are special because they mark the time to honor our pollinators. By this time every year, a hummingbird visits my house, right on cue, so I want to make sure I have lots of plants to attract these birds and other pollinators.

Pollinators play an important role on Earth. Seventy-five percent of flowering plants on our planet need pollinators. Without them, we would not have most of the food we eat, or crops we grow. Did you know that one out of three bites of food we eat can be attributed to pollinators? Pollinators need us to create a habitat for their survival and protect that habitat, just like we need them to survive.

So, what are pollinators, and how many do you know? A pollinator moves pollen from one part of a flower to another. The first pollinator that comes to mind is probably the bee, but there are many other pollinators including butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, bats, beetles, wasps, flies, small mammals and ants. Most of these pollinators are insects, but birds and mammals visit flowers and carry pollen, too. Even the wind plays an important role as a pollinator for our agricultural crops.

Hummingbirds are pollinators that are attracted to red, funnel-shaped flowers.

Thinking about the pollinators mentioned, you might know that some aren’t always visible during the daytime. That means we do have day and nighttime pollinators. Take moths for example: many of their pollen sources are blooming at night. These plants often have a pale color and sweet scent. Although many moths pollinate at night, the hummingbird moth is active during the day. They are a bird-like moth and have amazing flight maneuvers. You will hear them before you see them. And if you are a fan of agave, thank the bat, who prefers musty scents emitted at night. Visit https://gapp.org/ for more information about bats as pollinators.

The remaining pollinators can primarily be seen during the day. The ant isn’t a strong pollinator, but does aid in seed dispersal for native plants that prefer shade. Beetles rely on their sense of smell to find the flowers they like, which have spicy, sweet or fermented scents. Hummingbirds are attracted to red, funnel-shaped flowers. Wasps prefer flowers that have shallow blooms of all colors, shapes and sizes. Lastly, bees are attracted to flowers that are yellow, blue, purple or white. They can even see ultraviolet patterns on petals.

June and July are active months with two events. Pollinator Week was celebrated this year from June 21-27. Visit www.pollinator.org for more information. Moth Week is celebrated July 17-21. Visit http:// nationalmothweek.org for more information and how to “moth.” There are activities you can plan with kids to attract and observe moths at night.

Most pollinators thrive in a native plant environment. Visit https://secure. caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/ files/pdf/B%201349_1.PDF to learn more about gardening. A pollinator quiz can be found on the second page of our June/July 2019 newsletter https://cherokeemastergardenersinc. wildapricot.org/resources/Newsletters/ JuneJulyNews19%20(2).pdf. See how many you can match. Visit https://cherokeemastergardenersinc. wildapricot.org/ to view the June/ July 2021 newsletter and article on pollinators. Be sure to add a new native plant every year to celebrate pollinators. And join us for the Great Georgia Pollinator Census Count on Aug. 20 and 21.

Jennifer Ruscilli is a Master Gardener, Master Naturalist and Master Birder. The Towne Lake resident enjoys birds, begonias, bog plants, bugs and finding new plants on rescues.