Bubs the Bumblebee© children's nature stories by Joyce Graham Fogwill Consultant in Children's Science Education
Website:BubstheBumblebee.com
Pollinators in the garden
Flowering plants attract a variety of
pollinators, and as a result of their foraging, pollen is transferred to the stigma of the same species, fertilisation occurs in the flower
ovaries and fruit and seeds are produced. Flowers with their varying shapes, sizes and
colours - from white to different
shades of violet, blue, yellow, orange and red, together with different
aromas attract many pollinators
Economically important agricultural crops like
squash, pumpkins, melon, blueberries and wild plants depend on pollinators like
honey bees, bumblebees, butterflies, beetles, wasps, bats and humming birds for
pollination. Each garden will have spiders which prey on insects and help to keep their numbers in control.. Increasing urbanization, together with the
indiscriminate use of pesticides, herbicides and insect diseases are killing many beneficial insects and destroying
their habitats.
Some nature lovers understand the problem and are
responding by planting pollinator gardens, which may provide suitable habitats as well as
a variety of flowers with nectar and pollen to ensure their survival.
www.outskirtspress.com/bubsthebumblebeeandthespidersweb
Here a few suggestions
for planting a pollinator friendly garden
Plant a variety of flowers with different
colours, sizes and shapes to attract a variety of insects and other pollinators. It is best to plant these flowers in clumps, because some
insects practice flower constancy. For example, most bees forage from the same
species on each foraging trip, and if there are many flowers of the same species in the same area, there will be more flowers of a
particular species from which to gather pollen and nectar during each foraging trip.
Try to include in your garden a selection of
native species of small trees, shrubs, wild flowers, vegetables, fruit trees,
wild grasses and weeds for egg and
larval stages of the insects to feed and pupate and, if possible, you could reduce your lawn grass area to increase habitat space for the insects to complete the stages in their life cycle.
Northern gardens should have a variety of flowering plants so that there will be flowers available from spring
to fall. Tropical and semitropical gardens should include a variety of flowers in bloom year round to
attract pollinators. The use of chemical pesticides and insecticides
are not encouraged, but if you must, use ingredients and methods that are not toxic
to the pollinators.
Some of us are aware that an unusually high numbers of bee
colonies are disappearing- these bees are dying-Colony collapse disorder. Bees
and other insects pollinate flowers, and in so doing transfer pollen to the stigmas
of flowers which eventually lead to flower fertilization and fruit & seed
production. If there are fewer insect pollinators like bees, there will be a
limited supply of some wild plants, and also economically important crops that
depend on them for pollination and fruit production. Crops like citrus,
almonds, cherries, cranberries and blueberries are affected and also honey
production.
The specific reason for this increased bee die off is unclear but
possible causes (alone or in combination) - include the overuse use of multiple
insecticides and pesticides, parasitic mites, a virus infection and habitat
destruction. In order to identify the cause or causes for this significant
problem, it is obvious that there needs to be increased research and more
public awareness about this increased loss of bees.
