Pollinator Gardens

Who is a pollinator?

• Bees! And 100,000+ invertebrates
• Butterflies
• Moths
• Wasps
• Beetles

Even mammals, such as birds and reptiles, can take on the pollinator job. Pollinators move from plant to plant, fueling with pollen and nectar. As they move, they transport and deposit more pollen, fertilizing plants and allowing those plants to reproduce.

What is a pollinator garden?

 A pollinator garden is a garden designed to attract and support pollinators. The best plants for a pollinator garden are native plants. A plant is native if it occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction. Native plants form relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years.

The Importance of Pollinator Gardens

Native plants are key to any wildlife garden and the first step in planting a pollinator garden. Research shows that 14% of native plants across North America support 90% of butterfly and moth species.

Pollinators themselves are an important food source for other wildlife. Many mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians eat eggs, larvae, or adult forms of pollinators or feed them to their young. Pollinators play a critical role in the food supply of wildlife and people!

North America hosts 4,000 native bees, and approximately 20 - 45% of these bees are pollen specialists—meaning they use only pollen from one species of plants. If these plants aren’t available, these wildlife species go away. These and other pollinators are also responsible for supporting over three-quarters of all flowering plants and a third of the world’s food crops, thanks to their pollinating powers. Planning a pollinator garden benefits wildlife, people, and our planet.