Over 75% of all flowering plants, and 75% of our crops rely on animals for to carry pollen from one flower to another.  Most of these pollinators are insects.  Most of us think of honeybees when we hear the word “pollinator”.   But, its not just honeybees that pollinate plants, other bees (native bees), butterflies, moths, beetles, and flies also perform this essential task.

The value of pollinators is high, each year in the U.S., honey bees pollinate approximately $15 Billion worth of crops.  The value of pollination services provided by native bees and other insects is even greater.

During the past several years, there has been a world-wide decline in in the number of insect pollinators.   In North America alone, honeybee and native bee populations have dropped substantially.   This is decline is thought to be a result of habitat loss, pesticide use, and pollution.  

Restoring habitat by planting many different kinds of flowering plants and improving the ways that insecticides are used will help bee populations