Who Are the Pollinators?

Insects like bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, and flies do the majority of the pollination activities. However, other mammals such as hummingbirds, bats, and possums are considered pollinators as well.

Pollinators provide an essential service to our environment as over 80% of all flowering plants need assistance from pollinators to complete the reproduction process.

Facts About Pollinators

  • 1 in 3 bites of food is made possible by pollinators

  • Bees are attracted to bright blue and violet colors

  • Hummingbirds are attracted to long tubular red, pink, fuchsia, or purple flowers

  • There are over 160,000 species of moths and 17,500 species of butterflies worldwide

  • Over 479 butterfly and moth species are found in Michigan

  • Butterflies are drawn to bright colors like yellow, orange, pink and red and prefer flat petals to stand on

  • Honeybees are not native to the U.S., they were imported from Europe to help pollinate food crops

  • There are 20,000 of wild bee species in the world that contribute to pollination

  • Over 4,000 bee species are native to North America and over 450 are native to Michigan

  • Milkweed is the only plant that female monarchs lay their eggs on, as it is the only plant that the caterpillars are able to eat.

  • Monarch butterflies live for about 4 weeks while migrating monarchs live for 5-9 months

 

Pollinator Decline

Butterflies

  • 19% of butterflies in the U.S. are approaching extinction

  • Monarch population has declined by over 80% in the last 20 years

Bees

  • 28% of Bumble Bees

  • 50% of Leafcutter Bees

  • 27% of Mason Bees

  • Average of 35% honeybee colony loss since 2010