Solitary Pollinators
All About Solitary Pollinators
What are they?
Solitary bees are harmless and not aggressive. They rarely if ever sting unless trodden on or squashed between your fingers. They do not have painful stings like honeybees. In most cases if they attempt to sting, you will not even feel it. They do not live in hives, make honey, build honeycombs, or swarm.
What can I do to help them?
Plant native plants
Don't kill them
Build a pollinator hotel
Types of Pollinators:
Some common animal pollinators that you may have seen flying from flower to flower include bees, beetles, birds, flies, moths, bats, and butterflies. Although much less common, there are some larger animal pollinators, such as the honey possums of Australia and the ruffed lemurs of Madagascar.
Why are they so important?
Why are pollinators important? Pollinators are vital to production agriculture. Approximately 30 percent of the food and fiber crops grown throughout the world depend upon pollinators for reproduction. The fruits and seeds from these crop species provide 15 to 30 percent of the foods and beverages consumed by humans.