Importance of Pollinators
By now, we've all seen the reports on the news and all over social media; pollinators, like bees, are steadily decreasing in population size. According to the USDA National Agriculture Statistic Service the number of managed colonies has decreased from 5.9 Million in 1949 to only 2.4 in 2005. These numbers are shocking. Colonies decreased dramatically in the mid-1980's when parasitic mites, know as verroa mites, were introduced to the United States. The media has taken notice because it is estimated that 1/3 of the food we eat is pollinated by bees, so a decline in their population could effect our availability of food. I encourage you to take a look at some of your favorite produce and see if they are pollinated by bees. I happen to love mangos and blueberries, and you guessed it, they both need to be pollinated by bees.
The PennState College of Agricultural Sciences says "Wild and managed pollinators face numerous stressors. Honey bees, other managed pollinator species such as bumble bees and orchard bees, and wild bees suffer from exposure to parasites and pesticides, and loss of floral abundance and diversity due to increased land-use. In addition, habitat destruction limits nesting sites for wild pollinators. Unfortunately, these stressors may interact synergistically to produce more detrimental effects on pollinator health." It is evident to all of us that there are so many environmental stressors on pollinators, which should give us the motivation to participate in their recovery and longevity. As PennState mentioned here, habitat destruction is a huge loss to pollinators, because the plants are clear cut. We can manage our landscapes to include more habitat for pollinators. A new trend of pollinator gardens, or butterfly gardens, have become widely popular. This concept is awesome, people are wanting to help solve the problem. However, some of the seed mixes we buy are nationally distributed and contain species of plants that may actually be invasive to your region. It is most encouraged that you research
