Kids ask! how does pollination work?

If it seems like your local bees are busier during the spring, that's not a coincidence. They're performing the important task of pollination: the process of moving pollen from flower to flower.

What is Pollination?

Whether you're a bug, bear, or daffodil, living things share a common goal: to pass their genes on through offspring. For legged critters like our bugs and bears, this means roaming the Earth in search of a suitable mate. But what about the stationary daffodil? Anchored to the land, plants must rely on alternative methods of fertilization. Cue pollination!

Pollination is the transfer of pollen to enable plant reproduction. If you've ever noticed a flower (or bee!) covered in a yellow powder, then you've already seen pollen. Produced by a flower's male part (anther), pollen carries male reproductive cells that must be brought to a flower's female part (stigma) for fertilization to occur. Pollinators make that transfer happen.

What Role do Pollinators Play?

A pollinator is an animal that aids in plant reproduction by transferring pollen from one plant to another. Hungry pollinators like bees, bats, and butterflies move from flower to flower in search of nectar. As they forage, the yellow pollen- which happens to be very sticky!- adheres to the pollinator's body. The pollen can now be moved to another flower!

The successful fertilization of pollen results in seeds and sometimes even fruit. How nice for us!

Who are Common Pollinators?

Bees: Bees are considered the MVPs among pollinators, as they alone pollinate over 80% of flowering plants. Honeybees are the dominant pollinators of the bunch, but bumblebees, mason bees, leafcutter bees, and sweat bees are all known to power pollination.

Bats: Even without the light of the sun, pollination ensues. Bats pollinate

over 500 nocturnal plant species, many of which grow in the desert.

Butterflies: As colorful as the wildflowers they frequent, butterflies aid in the reproduction of many gardening favorites like zinnias, coneflowers, and milkweeds.

Moths: Thought butterflies were the only ones? Moths come out to play as day fades to night, visiting flowers that shine under the moon. 

Birds: Hummingbirds, sunbirds, honeyeaters, and honeycreepers are nectar enthusiasts that use their slim beaks to feast on flowers. The pollen sticks to them in the process!

Beetles: Often overlooked in the pollinating world, beetles are OG pollinators that have supported plants like magnolia and spicebush for millions of years.

Wind: What better way to mix things up than a gust of wind? Wind is an especially helpful agent for smaller plants that may not produce scents or colors that entice animal pollinators.

Why is Pollination Important?

Imagine a world without flowers. Worse, coffee. No wait- one lacking in nearly all our fruits and vegetables! Over 180,000 species of plants depend on pollinators to fuel their reproduction. A world without pollinators is a world in which many plants- and the resources they produce- wouldn't exist.

• 35% of our food crops depend on pollinators, including most fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

• Plants are the foundation of ecosystems. Without pollinators, most terrestrial life, including humans, would cease to exist.

• Pollinators uphold economies, contributing billions of dollars to agricultural output every year.

The next time you enjoy a handful of berries or a bar of chocolate, think of the pollinator that made the product possible. Life literally wouldn't be the same without them!

How Can I Support Pollinators?

If you have a green thumb, pollinators could use it! Planting a pollinator garden is an easy way to support native plants and pollinators alike. It also means an extra burst of color in your backyard!