POLLINATION
No one can really help to save or conserve something without knowing how it works or why it is important.
Explore the links and information below to spark your interest in pollinators.
You may suffer from allergies due to pollen. This pollen is the same kind that, if moved by pollinators from the anther to the stigma part of a flower, enables pollination. When pollination occurs, seeds and fruits are produced.
Now. Imagine flowers aren't making fruit and seeds because there are fewer and fewer animals to assist in the pollination process.
The outcome of this scenario would be devastating. Without pollination, humans and animals alike, will not have food to eat.
Is is often difficult to associate where food comes from when it is neatly packaged for us at the grocery store. But if you stop and think for a moment about the ramifications of a severe loss in pollination, the results could be costly and devestating.
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Why is there a pollinator crisis?
Like many other animals, pollinators are losing their natural habitats. Without a place to grow and live, these animals are not able to keep a healthy population.
Chemical usage on lawns, weeds, and gardens are also a major concern. When you use chemicals to treat your lawn or needlessly spray dandelions with toxins, everything that comes in contact with those poisons is affected. While you are trying to keep your lawn weed-free, you are indirectly putting the lives of pollinators in danger.
Consider locating a lawn service that is chemical free or finding more natural methods for weed removal.
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What exactly are pollinators?
Anything that helps spread pollen from the anther to the stigma, is a pollinator. This means that although we typically think about mostly bees as pollinators, there are many more animals to include in this catagory. Here's a short list:
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Butterflies
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Bees
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Moths
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Beetles
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Flies
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Bats
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Wasps
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Hummingbirds
Larger mammals and other types of birds can be pollinators too. Hundreds of years ago when bison roamed the prairies, the pollen from flowers would stick to their fur. As they moved about and rolled around in the grasses and flowers, bison ended up being pollinators. Perhaps they weren't the most effective, but nonetheless, the simple act of them traveling through the plains made them pollinators.
Many other mammals and birds can be considered pollinators too. Who knows- maybe even YOU unintentionally pollinated a plant while out on a hike. Even more of a reason to get outdoors!
