Pollination is something that people often take for granted, but it is a vital component to growing plants and generating food. Pollination is the movement of pollen from the male part of a plant (anther) to the female part of the plant (stigma). When pollination is successful, people reap the rewards with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Because plants cannot pollinate themselves, many have developed flowers which help attract a variety of pollinating insects, such as bees and butterflies. While there are several different types of insects that provide pollination, the honeybee is the leader of the pack. Honeybees are responsible for approximately 85 percent of the pollination needed to produce a third of the food supply in the United States.
Plan ting for Pollinators Planting pollinator-friendly and sustainable gardens and flower beds provides both beauty and the ability to attract beneficial insects, such as bees, to the yard, which also helps to reduce the need for pesticides. Utilizing plants on the property that attract and sustain pollinators can not only increase their population, it also can lead to higher fruit and vegetable production in your yard as well as those of your neighbors. Intentionally planting flowers, such as zinnias, marigolds, or black-eyed Susans, will draw beneficial insects onto the property.
However, this is just one component of attracting pollinators. In addition to planting flowers, fruits and vegetables, bees also need nesting sites. This is easy .