Pollinators Are the Unsung Heroes of Our Food System—Here’s How to Help Them Thrive

When a bumblebee buzzes on a male zucchini bloom, shakes loose some grains of pollen and then zips to a female flower, it’s unaware that it’s acting as a pollinator. The bee keeps having lunch; the newly fertilized blossom begins the process of closing up shop and dropping its petals. In a few days, a tiny squash will form from its ovary. 

Around the world—although it varies regionally—an average of 75% of flowering plants require pollinators for reproduction. Because grains, which are wind-pollinated, make up the majority of human food crops, it’s estimated that a smaller percentage of the total plant food we consume (about one-third) relies directly on pollinators. However, most of the different varieties of plant foods humans eat benefit from pollination. What does that mean? When pollinator populations fall, we still have food, but it becomes less plentiful and much less diverse. Over time, if certain pollinators become extinct, plant varieties will follow. 

Culinary delicacies that are especially dependent on insects and animals to move pollen from male to female flowers include cacao beans, vanilla, melons, apples, almonds, avocados, squash and coconut. However, even crops that are less dependent on pollination have much better yields when pollinators are in evidence. 

The Role of Bees

Of all of the kinds of insects that pollinate plants, bees do the majority of the work, and we’re not just talking about honeybees: According to the United States Geological Survey, there are 20,000 known bee species around the world, and 4,000 of those types of bees are native to the United States. Some native bees are tiny and solitary, like the grain-of-rice-size Perdita minima that lives in the Southwest part of the U.S., and others are rotund, loud and social, like bumblebees. 

Although well known, honeybees are not among the natives. They were brought to the U.S. from Europe in the 17th century and are farmed as part of American industrial agriculture. Each year, massive numbers of honeybee hives are moved between commercial farms to pollinate large blocks of fruit and nut crops, such as apples and almonds. 

One problem with this approach is that the non-native honeybees don’t limit themselves to the agricultural plants we wish them to pollinate, and they also grab pollen and nectar from other enticing plants they find on their flights, which limits the food supply for all sorts of other insects. Where honeybees reign, native bee populations—and those of other insects and birds reliant on nectar and pollen—tend to shrink.

However, many native food plants are primarily, or most effectively, pollinated by the bees that originated in North America. “If you take tomatoes, peppers, even blueberries, those flowers are reluctant to give up their pollen,” explained Mace Vaughan, a conservation entomologist and biologist who is a program director for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and who also works with the USDA. “Bees that visit those flowers grab on and then vibrate their flight muscles…it requires that sort of buzz or shaking to get any pollen out at all. Honeybees don’t do this.”

Getting to Know Other Pollinators

What kinds of critters besides bees pollinate plants? All kinds! There are 200,000 kinds of animal pollinators, primarily insects. It’s not surprising to learn that most insects that can be seen flitting from flower to flower are doing the work of moving pollen around, as are those that crawl around in blossoms. Ants, beetles, butterflies, gnats and wasps are all responsible for some pollination. So too are nectar-loving birds, such as hummingbirds. 

Because they’re nocturnal, not everybody realizes that they’re pollinators, but bats are crucial for night-blooming plants like wild bananas, dates and certain types of mangos. Some other mammals, including possums and rodents, also pollinate plants as they go about their business. 

Although there are some plants that have co-evolved with particular animals or insects and are rarely pollinated by others, it’s more common that honeybees, native bees and other insects and animals may all contribute to a particular food crop’s pollination. 

Additional pollinators are too numerous to mention, but notably, humans—as they brush past plants—can be counted among their number. On some farms, humans move pollen intentionally to increase crop yield. Unfortunately, because many pollinator species are in decline worldwide, farmers and other food producers are being forced to pollinate their crops by hand. Currently, this is most common in China and Brazil but is also true in Kenya and elsewhere around the world. 

Pollinator Decline

The challenges experienced by pollinator populations are myriad. As fields and forests have been claimed for human habitation and other infrastructure, animals and insects have faced crowding and dwindling resources. Ironically, by converting woods and plains to farmland in an effort to grow more food, large farms worldwide are inadvertently reducing healthy pollinator populations, thereby damaging the global food supply. 

On top of that, pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals and other pollutants are doing direct and indirect damage. Furthermore, changing weather patterns put additional stress on ecosystems that are already facing challenges. 

Can Non-Bee Pollinators Make Up the Gap? 

Unfortunately, it isn’t just honeybee populations that are suffering from declining populations. According to the Xerces Society, more than 40 percent of the invertebrates that pollinate plants may face extinction over the next few decades. 

The good news is that conservation efforts don’t need to happen on a species-by-species level. There are things that can be done to benefit thousands of species simultaneously. “There is a lot of redundancy,” Vaughan noted. “The habitat that you would use to support [native bees] supports lots of other beneficial insects.” 

What Can We Do to Benefit Pollinators? 

For those who have yards or bigger pieces of land, there are plenty of ways to support pollinator populations. Vaughan explained that when he rakes leaves around his property, he piles them up as mulch in garden beds and in other out-of-the-way places instead of adding them to a compost pile or sending them away. Critters find shelter in the leaves throughout the cold season. “It’s a nice blanket to hide out in,” he said. 

Similarly, he builds little rock piles, and when he cuts back brush, especially on plants with pithy stems, such as raspberries, elderberries and sumac, he doesn’t cut them all the way to the ground. The easily hollowed tubes give insects a place to find warmth and safety.  

When choosing flowers, Vaughan suggested, look for native species, and plant some that bloom in spring and others that last late into autumn. Culinary herbs, including rosemary, mint, thyme and marjoram are delicious to pollinators, and their presence brings all the bees to the yard. Another garden tip: Whenever possible, leave plants that have “bolted”—aka grown flower stalks—in the garden instead of pulling them up. They’re a great food source and will attract pollinators to your other plants, too. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, try to avoid the use of any pesticides (even if they’re organic) or herbicides. If you have to use them, he said, “Be super careful, even with organic insecticides. They don’t last as long in the garden, but if they come in contact with a bumblebee, they’ll kill it.”  

What Can Consumers Ask of Farmers? 

Another thing folks can do, no matter where they live, is try to find bee-friendly foods. Those who have access to farmers via markets, farmstands or social media can ask questions about how a given farm supports pollinator populations. 

For those shopping at bigger stores, Vaughan said that Xerces, the non-profit at which he works, has created a “Bee Better” certification that can be found on products sold at major supermarket chains such as Kroger and Walmart. 

The Last Bit of Buzz

Numerous pollinators, including bees, other insects, birds, bats and scuttling critters, are threatened by loss of territory as well as by pesticides, herbicides, environmental pollutants and the changing climate. To support those pollinators, seek out food sources that support their populations, rather than degrade them, and avoid the use of chemicals in your garden. 

Additionally, consider native insects and animals when making gardening and landscaping choices, and plant native flowers and plants whenever possible. Replacing lawns with food-producing plants and blossoms is a great move.  

Instead of discarding fallen leaves and random rocks, pile them up in out-of-the-way places to create habitats for useful critters. 

Lastly, take the time to learn about pollinators, so you can recognize them when you see them and appreciate their contribution to deliciousness.