What are Pollinators and why do we need them?

 

Pollinators are animals (primarily insect, but sometimes avian or mammalian) that fertilize plants, resulting in the formation of seeds and the fruit surrounding seeds. Humans and other animals rely on pollinators to produce nuts and fruits that are essential components of a healthy diet. 

 

Pollinators are animals or insects that move pollen from male structures (anthers) of flowers to the female structure (stigma) of the same plant species.  Movement of pollen (analogous to sperm) to a flower’s stigma results in fertilization of the flower’s eggs.  An adequately fertilized flower will produce seeds and the fruit surrounding seeds, ensuring that a new generation of plants can be grown.  

 

Honey bees often come to mind first when people think of pollinators. However, many different animals, including other insects (other bee species, butterflies, beetles, flies), some birds and some bats are pollinators. Indeed, there are an estimated 300,000 species of flowering plants worldwide that require animal pollinators.

 

https://ento.psu.edu/pollinators/resources

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