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What is a pollinator?
Pollinators are responsible for spreading pollen between plants as they drink nectar, allowing the plants to spread and reproduce. They allow flowers to bloom and food crops to grow. Almost 75% of crops require pollinators! We only have apples, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, almonds, pumpkins, sunflower seeds, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and potatoes because of pollination from pollinators!
Pollinators can include butterflies, hummingbirds, some songbirds, moths, bees, bats, beetles, mice, squirrels, and other wildlife that carry pollen from one plant to another.
We can support pollinators by providing food, water, shelter, and native plants in our backyards for them to use.
Bees are some of the most important pollinators, doing a majority of the pollination needed by plants!
Butterflies transport pollen between plants as they drink their nectar, allowing the plants to reproduce and spread.
Many flowers like these zinnias feature bright colors to attract bees and butterflies and an easy landing pad for them to use.
Simple ways to support pollinators:
Include a variety of plants that flower and fruit at different times during the growing season!
Use both nectar-producing plant species and host plants which provide space for caterpillars to grow.
Example: Some species have certain host plants they rely on, such as Milkweed for Monarch butterflies! Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants to give emerging caterpillars access to the nutrition they need to survive and change into butterflies. Their caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves, and the loss of milkweed habitats is one of the reasons Monarch populations have declined.
Butterflies prefer shallow muddy water, so provide either a dish of muddy water or create mud puddles for them to use.
Create shelter with tall grasses, large trees or shrubs, pollinator hotels (see image below), and other crevices.
Check out this link to a story map featuring nine public pollinator gardens in Durham to get a better idea of what's possible and where to visit to explore and find out more!
Insect hotels like this one provide habitat for pollinators like wasps, bees, and beetles!
What specific pollinators might you attract in Durham?
Bees- There are over 500 native species in North Carolina. Those commonly seen include Bumble Bees, Carpenter Bees, Mining Bees, and Honeybees. Honeybees are non-native but are commonly kept by humans in apiaries and have become important pollinators in the area.
Wasps- A common pollinator is the Thread-waisted Wasp.
Butterflies- There are around 175 native species in North Carolina. Those you may see include Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Zebra Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Variegated Fritillary, Pearl Crescent, Common Buckeye, American Lady, and Red-Spotted Purple.
Moths- There are over 1,200 native species in NC, though most are not well studied. Some important pollinators include the Yucca moth and Hummingbird Clearwing moth.
Flies- Important fly pollinators include Syrphid Flies.
Hummingbirds- An important avian pollinator is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Honeybees transport pollen between plants as they collect nectar to make honey.
Atlas Moths drying their wings after emerging from their cocoons at the Museum of Life and Science's Butterfly House. Not all pollinators are active during the day, some, like moths and bats, are only active at night!
What types of plants should we use? Visit the next page to find out.
All photos were taken by Kate Hankins.
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