What are pollinators and why do we need them?

By Tony Nicosia

Pollinators are animals (primarily insect, but sometimes bird or mammal) that fertilize plants, resulting in the formation of seeds and the fruit surrounding seeds. Humans and other animals rely on pollinators to produce nuts and fruits that are essential components of a healthy diet. Meanwhile, the majority of flowering plant species found world-wide require animalmediated pollination to make the seeds that will become the next generation of plants.

Pollinators are animals that move pollen from male structures (anthers) of flowers to the female structure (stigma) of the same plant species. Movement of pollen (analogous to sperm) to a flower’s stigma results in fertilization of the flower’s eggs. An adequately fertilized flower will produce seeds and the fruit surrounding seeds, ensuring that a new generation of plants can be grown.

Pollination is mutually beneficial to plants and to pollinators. Pollination results in the production of seeds and is necessary for many plants to reproduce. Meanwhile, pollinators receive nectar and/or pollen rewards from the flowers that they visit. Sugary nectar provides pollinators with carbohydrates while pollen offers proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and necessary phytochemicals.

Honey bees often come to mind first when people think of pollinators. However, many different animals, including other insects (other bee species, butterflies, beetles, flies), some birds and some bats are pollinators. Indeed, there are an estimated 300,000 species of flowering plants worldwide that require animal pollinators. This tremendous floral variety supports a corresponding diversity of pollinators, and the vast majority of these pollinators are insects.

For example, while there are only about 1,000 vertebrate pollinator species, it’s estimated that there are at least 16,000 different species of bees worldwide.

There are many important native pollinators within your home landscape. One you may not be familiar with is the mason bee. The mason bee is one of over 4,000 species of native bees in the United States. Unlike the more well known honey bee, mason bees are more efficient pollinators. They are active in pollinating plants even during cool and wet conditions. The honey bee is most active during dry conditions and when temperatures exceed 50 degrees.

Plus, mason bees and other native pollinators will visit certain plants that honey bees don’t forage. Other examples of native pollinators are the digger bee, leaf cutter bee, squash bee, sweat bee and, of course, the bumblebee.

Pollinators are necessary for three quarters of our major food crops. Not every species of plant requires animal-mediated pollination services. For example, wheat is wind pollinated. However, the majority of crops that we like most to eat and provide most of our nutrition (fruits, vegetables and nuts) use animal-mediated pollination. Without pollinators, our diets would be severely limited, and it would be more difficult to acquire the variety of vitamins and minerals that we need to stay healthy.

Outside of agricultural systems, approximately 80-95 percent of the plant species found in natural habitats require animal-mediated pollination. Plants are the foundation of terrestrial food chains.

The foliage, fruits and nuts that plants make are eaten by herbivores which in turn are hunted by predators. Furthermore, plants provide shelter and nesting habitat for many different animal species.

Thus, in order to maintain the diversity of our natural ecosystems, we need healthy pollinator populations to ensure that the next generation of plants will be produced.

Tony Nicosia owns the Clayton location of Wild Birds Unlimited and can be reached at wildbirdsclayton@gmail.com.