Pollinators

Did you know that pollination is one of the most important ecological processes on the planet? This basic transfer of pollen from the male parts (anther) of a plant to the female parts (stigma) is vital for the reproduction of about 90 per cent of the seed-producing plant species in the world. Pollination creates fertile seeds, and fertile seeds contain the promise of renewed life, year after year, generation after generation. Indeed, without pollination, many plants could not reproduce. Food webs and, therefore, entire ecosystems would collapse. We would quickly run out of food, medicine, wood products — almost everything we, and wildlife, need to survive on this green planet. Without it, the world as we know it would be a different place. The value of these busy pollinators is immeasurable. While bees are probably the most recognized pollinators, it is important that we don’t forget about hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, bats, flies and beetles – who are also important pollinators.

Why are pollinators in trouble?

1. Loss of habitat – Our cities, homes and lawns, even our farm fields, have replaced the natural variety of flowering plants that once composed our landscapes. It may seem strange that vast fields of the same flowering crop plants would be considered poor habitat for some pollinators, but crop fields are huge areas of one type of plant that all mature at the same time and are then harvested and taken away, all at the same time. Without habitat for feeding, mating and nesting, the population numbers and diversity of pollinators drop.

2. Toxic chemicals – Efforts to combat agricultural pests have doubled the use of insecticides and herbicides since 1960. Insecticides, though intended for insect pests, can also kill beneficial insects, and can stay in the environment for a long time. Even low pesticide levels can affect the memory, navigation and foraging abilities of honeybees. Herbicides, another type of poison aimed at undesired weeds, can destroy food that the pollinators rely on before and after crops have bloomed.

3. Imported parasites and diseases – Domestic honeybees and wild bee populations are being hard-hit by two small relatives of the spider. The tracheal mite, recently arrived from South America, attacks the wind pipe or trachea of a bee until the bee suffocates. The varroa mite, originally from Asia, attaches to the outside of the bee and sucks body fluids from its host, eventually causing death. These two parasites were responsible for destroying 30-50 per cent of the bee colonies in Eastern Canada in 2003. Scientists are currently puzzling over what they call “colony collapse disorder,” a condition affecting honey bees that is spreading across North America. The bees fly off from the colony in search of pollen and nectar and are never seen again. Whole colonies are left vacant and no one knows why yet, although a virus is suspected as the potential cause of this epidemic.

4. Climate change [EN > learn > issues > issues-of-concern > climate-change] – Climate change seems to be affecting all aspects of life on the planet and pollination is no exception. Among the consequences that could be attributed to climate change are:

• More imported parasites may be able to survive and prey upon beneficial pollinators.
• Some insect pollinators may see their ranges reduced leading to a decrease in pollinator diversity and, eventually, a decrease in plant diversity.
• Bloom times of plants or insect activities may be changed, so that pollen production of the plant may not match up seasonally with the pollinator’s activity.

What CWF is doing

CWF has taken a role in educating Canadians about the importance of pollinators and the troubles they are facing with our 2008 National Wildlife Week kit: “Pollinators: from flowers to food to our future.”

We also have lots of information on our Wild about Gardening website, which shows people how to grow native plants and attract pollinators to their properties.