Three-fourthsoftheworld’sfloweringplantsandabout35percentoftheworld’sfoodcropsdependonpollinatorstoreproduce.Morethan3,500speciesofnativebeeshelpincreasecropyields.Somescientistsestimatethatoneoutofeverythreebitesoffoodweeatexistsbecauseofpollinatorslikebees,butterflies,moths,birds,bats,beetlesandotherinsects.

What are Pollinators?

Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Moths, Flies, Beetles, BatsPollinators

Antenna(e): Themoveable,sensitivefeelersonaninsect’shead,whichdetectodorandmovement.Anther: Thepartofaflower’sstamenthatcontainsthepollen.Cross-pollination: Pollenistransferredfromtheflowerofoneplanttotheflowerofanotherplant.Filament: Supportstheanther,whichiswherepollendevelops.Insect: Asix-legged,air-breathinginvertebratewithabodythathaswell-definedsegments,includingahead,thorax,abdomen,twoantennaeandusually,twosetsofwings.Invertebrate: Ananimalwithoutabackbone.Mammal: Awarm-bloodedvertebratecharacterizedbyacoveringofhaironsomeormostofthebody,afour-chamberedheart,andnourishmentofoffspringwithmilk frommaternalmammaryglands.Nectar: Asweetliquidsecretedbyflowersofvariousplants.Petal: Aleafyflapinaflower,oftenbrightlycoloredtoattractanimalpollinators.Pistil: Thefemalepartofaflower,whichconsistsofthestigma,styleandovary.Pollen: Afinepowderysubstance,oftenyellow,produced bytheanthersandcollectedbypollinators.Pollinator: Movespollenfromthemaleanthersofaflower tothefemalestigmaofaflowerresultinginfertilization.

USES

: VOCABULARY

Pollinatorsvisitflowersintheirsearchforfood(nectarandpollen).Duringaflowervisit,apollinatormayunknowinglydepositpollenfromadifferentflower.Theplantthenusesthepollentoproduceafruitorseed.Manyplantscannotreproducewithoutpollencarriedtothembyforagingpollinators.

How Pollination Works:

Self-pollination: Takesplacewhenpollenistransferredfromthestamenofoneflowertothepistilofthesameflowerorplant.Stamen: Themalepartofaflowerwhichproducespollenandconsistsofafilamentandananther.Stigma: Thefemalepartofaflowerwhichreceivespollenduringpollination.Vertebrate: Ananimalwithabackbone.

Parts of a Flower

Take the journey from flower to table:

Honey Bees

Pollinators

Onethirdofthefoodsyoueatdirectlyorindirectlydependsonpollinationbyhoneybees.Manycrops,includingnuts,vegetables,alfalfa(usedforhay),apples,cantaloupe,cranberries,pumpkinsandsunflowers,are90percentdependentonhoneybeepollination.Otherproducts,suchasbeefanddairy,alsodependonpollination.Cowseatalfalfahay,whichispollinatedbyinsects.Approximately220,000coloniesofbeesareusedtopollinatealfalfafieldsforseedproduction.

Honey Bees and Agriculture

Butterflies are very important pollinators. Look to these indicator species to help determine how healthy your surroundings are. Make sure your yard has plenty of butterflies and other insects happily buzzing about!

-Theworld’sfoodsupplydependsonpollinators.-Butterfliesareanindicatorspeciesthattellusabout thehealthofourenvironment.-Butterfliesaresensitivetochangesinclimate.-Butterfliesaresensitivetopresenceofharmfulchemicals.-Butterfliesaresensitivetopollutionintheairandwater.

What can WE do?-Provideasafeandattractivehabitat.-Plantbothmilkweedandnectarplants.-Makesureyourplantsgetplentyofsunlight.-Determinemoistureconditions.-Makesureyouareplantingingoodsoil.-Checkthewindconditionsbeforeplanting.

Butterflies

1.Flowersproducenectar.

2.Honeybeescollectpollenandnectarfrombloomingflowersandplantsandstoreitinhoneycombsinsidetheirhives.Thesehoneybeesarecalledworkerbees,andareexclusivelyallfemales.

3.Theyevaporatethewaterfromthenectarwhichleavesthick,sweethoney.Thewindfromthebees’wingshelpsevaporation.

4.Beekeeperspullframesoutofbeehives.Theytakeoffthewaxthatcoversthecells.

5.Beekeepersputframesinamachinecalledanextractor. Itspinstheframeveryquickly,andthehoneycomesout.

6.Thehoneygoesthroughaverysmallstrainertocatchanypiecesofwax.

7.Honeyissealedinjarsandbottles.

Your Garden Can “Bee” Attractive to Pollinators

Spotlight on Careers:

Entomologist: Anentomologistisabroadlytrainedandeducatedprofessionalwhostudiesinsects.Entomologistsareneededworldwidetohelpfarmersandranchersproducecropsandlivestockmoreefficientlybyusingsoundpestmanagementstrategies.Theyalsoproduceinformationaboutendangeredspecies,fragileecosystemsandourenvironment,andhelppreventthespreadofseriousdiseasesinplantsandanimals.Youcanfindentomologistsinprofessionssuchasmedicine,law,pharmacology,veterinarymedicine,teaching,andresearch.Theyalsoworkinmanyaspectsofagribusinessaswellasinprivatepursuitssuchasconsulting.Manyentomologistsalsoworkforlocal,state,federal,orinternationalagencies.Educationisanimportantpartintheprocessofbecominganentomologist.Inhighschool,takeacollegepreparatorycurriculumandincludeasmanyscience-basedcoursesaspossible.Incollege,amajorinentomologyisthebestpreparationforyou;however,awell-roundedbiologicalsciencesprogramwouldbeexcellentpreparationforgraduatework.Asanundergraduate,youwilltakecoursesinbiology,agriculture,chemistry/biochemistry,mathematics,andstatistics,aswellascomputerscience,English,history,andthehumanities.Asagraduatestudentyouwillgetexperienceintaxonomy,physiology,morphology,behavior,andpestmanagement.

Apiarist (Beekeeper): Beekeepers,alsoknownasapiarists, areresponsibleforensuringtheefficientproductionofhoneyandbeehiveby-products,suchaswaxandpollen,bymanagingcoloniesofhoneybeeslocatedwithinanapiary(wherebeesarekept).Beekeepersalsoprovidepollinationservicestohorticulturalandseedcropproducers.Manybeekeepersareself-taughtorlearntheirskillson-the-job.Attendingworkshops,conferences,talkingtoactivebeekeepers,andtakingcorrespondencecourses aregreatwaystolearntheskillsnecessarytobecome abeekeeper.Itishelpfultocompletecourseworkinareassuchasagriculture,botany,biology,environmentalengineeringandhorticulture.Pursuingcourseworkintheseareascanhelpyouacquirethenecessaryknowledgeforbecoming abeekeeper.

Pollinators care

ers: Entomologist, Apiarist,

Botanist, Honey Farmer, Plant Scientist

SweetAlysum LesserCalamint

Coreopsis Cosmos

Salvia ButterflyWeed(AsclepiasTuberosa)

Coneflower(Echinacea)

Goldenrod(Solidago)

Asters LemonQueenSunflowers

TeddyBearSunflowers

(Perennials)

(Annuals)Illinois favorites:

Givebeessomethingtoloveallseason.Plantcontinuouslybloomingannualsandnativeperennialstoencouragevisitors,includingbees,hummingbirds,butterfliesandotherpollinatorsallseasonlong.Gotohttp://pollinator.org/guides.htm to findplantsthatattractpollinatorstoyourarea.

• Of the 100 crop species providing

90 percent of the world’s food, over 70 are pollinated by bees.

• Bees communicate by dancing.

• Honey Bees have four wings that stroke

12,000 times per minute.

• The average honey bee lives about 1 month.

• There can be 60,000+ honey bees in one hive.

• A hive of bees must fly almost 55,000 miles to make one pound of honey.

Pollinators science at home

Directions:1.Youwilltrydifferentthingswitheachofthepowdersand

observewhathappens.Makepredictionsabouteachpowder.

2.Lookateachpowderwithamagnifyinglens.Makeahypothesis.Whichpowderslookasthoughtheyaregoingtotravelmoreeasilybyair?Byanimal?Why?

3.Makesuretheblackpaperisplacedinanareawithnowind.Keeptheshortedgeclosesttoyou.Placetherulernexttothepaperandmarkalinehalfaninchfromtheedgeclosesttoyou.Thisareawillbelabeled“PowderPollenArea.”Place1/8teaspoonofonepowderinthestartingarea.Place1/8teaspoonofthesamepowderinasmallcup.

4.Placethetipofthestrawnearthepileofpowder.Blowonequicksmallpuffofairthroughthestrawandrecordhowfarthepollentravels.

5.Dipyourfingerquicklyinandoutofthecupofpowder.Rollyourfingeraroundonthestickysideofapieceofcleartapetoshowhowmuchpowderstuck.Placethistapeinthecorrectboxonthechart.

6.Dipthecottonswabquicklyinandoutofthecupofpowder.Rollitaroundonthestickysideofapieceofcleartapetoremovethepowder.Placethistapeinthecorrectboxonthechart.

7.Repeatsteps3to6foreachpowder.Recordtheresultsonthechart.

8.Taketimetowriteyourconclusioninoneparagraph.9.Pleasevisitagintheclassroom.orgforthecharttouse

withthislesson.

RulerPencilBlackPaper5powderssuchasflour,babypowder,cinnamon, orotherspices

1/8teaspoonSmallbowlsorcupsStrawCleartape5cottonswabs

Pollen PowerAllflowersneedpollentomakeseeds.Somepollenislightandsmoothenoughtobecarriedbythewind.Otherflowersproducepollenthatmustbecarriedbyinsectsandotheranimals.

www.iaafoundation.org www.agintheclassroom.org

Pollinator movement and crops in the U.S.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service; Sautzman (2011), with input from commercial beekeepers and apiculture experts, including Dr. Jeff Pettis and Dr. David Epstein, an entomologist and authority on pollinators with the USDA’s Pest Management Policy. Crop production acres are from USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2012 Agricultural Census.

As of June 2014

Materials Needed:

KNOW?DID YOU

Dashed line represents distinct pollination routes

Summer feeding grounds

Total pollinated crop acres by state

Less than 20,000

20,001 to 80,000

80,001 to 150,000

150,001 to 250,000

250,001 to 500,000

More than 500,000

AITC764D6