We Protect Pollinators, and You Can Too

As growers, we love plants. And plants can’t exist without pollinators, so we’ve got to love them, too!

Did you know that June is National Pollinator Month, and June 17-23 is National Pollinator Week?

Pollinator week/month serves to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and what individuals can do to help protect them.

Additionally, this year’s theme for Pollinator Month is "Vision 2040: Thriving ecosystems, economies, and agriculture," and focuses on the importance of pollinators on both nature and business.

What is a pollinator?

Pollinators are insects and animals that spread pollen from one flower to another. As pollinators go from flower to flower in search of food, they carry pieces of pollen with them. Pollen is how plants fertilize each other, so as pollinators visit each flower, they spread pollen and help the plants reproduce.

Without pollinators spreading pollen, plants wouldn’t be able to produce seeds, and they would quickly die out.

Species of pollinators include bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, moths, ants, birds, and bats. These animals collect nectar, honey, and seeds from flowers, pollinating them in the process.

Why are they important?

Pollinators are crucial to humankind. Without them, we wouldn’t have food to eat, and the agriculture industry could not exist. According to the USDA, 35% of the world’s crops depend on pollinators—that's 1 of every 3 bites of food you eat!

Plus, pollinators play a huge role in the economy. Native bees contribute around $18 to $27 billion dollars in crop yields in the US annually. Talk about hard workers!

Without pollinators, the agriculture industry would have to spend time, money, and manpower hand-pollinating their crops. Thankfully, pollinators do the work for free, and are experts at their job!

What threatens pollinators?

Pollinators are faced with many dangers. Threats to pollinators include climate change (including extreme weather events), habitat destruction, pesticides, drought, and the presence of invasive species.

One ingredient that is present in many pesticides is neonicotinoids, which is highly toxic to bees and other pollinators. While neonicotinoids are illegal in the EU, they aren’t properly restricted in the US and are still widely used.

Invasive species of plants are harmful to pollinators because they disrupt the natural ecological balance. Native pollinators aren’t physiologically accustomed to pollinate native plants, and as a result, they can't use them as habitats or food sources.

As a grower, what can you do to help protect pollinators?

TC Control Group loves outdoor plants as much as we love indoor growing, so for this year’s Pollinator Month, we have decided to grow a natural meadow that includes native plants. With this meadow, we hope to provide a healthy habitat for pollinators.

You can help protect pollinators, too. Consider growing a natural meadow in your yard, growing native plants, avoiding using pesticides, and reducing your carbon footprint. Additionally, you can spread the word and educate others on the importance of pollinators. Together, we can help protect pollinators and ensure a happy and healthy future for planet Earth.