June is packed with opportunities to interact with wildlife and the outdoors. But can you imagine what the outdoors would be like without pollinators?
Pollinators — bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles are nearly as important as sunlight, soil and water to the reproductive success of more than 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants.
As a pollinator moves from flower to flower collecting nectar, they also move pollen from flower to flower. When pollen, from the male part of a flower, the stamen, falls on the stigma, or female part of a flower of the same species, it triggers the production of a seed or seeds.
Plants often help their specific pollinators find their way. Night-pollinated flowers close during the day, to shield their nectar and pollen. And, many daytime-pollinated flowers close at night for the same reason. Flowers pollinated at night are usually white or pale yellow and very fragrant to help announce their presence. Darker flowers, not as visible at night, are usually pollinated by daytime flying insects.
Bees prefer blue or yellow flowers and those that are sweet-smelling. Butterflies rely more on vision and less on scent to find nectar. They are attracted to red, yellow or orange flowers. Moths are attracted to sweet-scented flowers that are typically large and white or pale in color, Hummingbirds go for red, orange or yellow flowers.
Pollinators are crucial to the production of…
