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Project for 2012 Pollinator Partnership Michelle has always been passionate about nature. Her ever-growing love has become her life's mission: Save her little plot in the world; make it as "perfect" as she can for today, and for years to come. What is a pollinator? Humans depend on pollinator animals in a practical way to provide us with the wide range of foods we eat; you don't have to be a vegetarian to reallize we need these industrious little helpers to live healthy, robust and fulfilled lives. Look of course to bees but also to butterflys, beetles and birds; virtually any little crawly that moves from one flower to the next. Pollinators improve fruit sets and quality, and can even increase fruit size. Alfalfa, clover, apples, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, cucumbers, pears, pumpkins, soybeams, squash, tomatoes and watermelons are some of the local crops that rely on honey bees and native bees for polllination.(1.) The most commonly recognized pollinator is the honey bee which is not native to the Eastern Broadleaf Forest. The oldest honey bee fossils have been found in Europe. But it's thought that the honey bee came from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines. There are seven living species of honey bees, and all but one are native to the previously mentioned areas.(2.) Why should we support pollinators? Whereas honey bees are often thought of as our primary pollinator, recent problems suchas colony collapse and heavy pesticide use have threatened their prolific and diverse horticultural endeavors. Thankfully there are many other pollinators which do their fair share of the work. There are mason bees, carpenter bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, beetles, as well as countless other insects and birds that lend their varied talents to the task. Animal pollinators are needed for the reproduction of nearly all flowering plants including human food crops. In order to reap the benifits of their industry we must conserve our pollinator habitats, protect them from disease and excessive use of pesticides. Who are our pollinators of the Eastern Boadleaf Forest?(1.) Bees are the most well documented pollinators of the region. Honey bees were imported from Europe almost 400 years ago. There are nearly 4,000 species of native ground and twig nesting bees in the United States. Some form colonies while others work a solitary life. Butterflies tend to be as eye-catching as the flowers that attact them. Some of the species of the Eastern Broadleaf Forest region are Brush-footed, Parnassian, Skipper, White, Sulfur and Milkweed butterflies. nearly all butterfly populations require muddy areas for water and minerals they need to stay healthy. Butterflies eat rotten fruit and even dung so to draw these fanciful creatures, don't clean up all the messes in your garden. Moths are easily distiguished from butterflies by their antennae. They usually are feathery and never have a know at the end as butterflies do. Moths are ypically active at night and their boddies are quite hary and more stout. They are attracted to strongly sweet smelling flowers thot open in the evening or night. Their food flowers are typically white or pale in color. Beetles While not as inspiring as the previously mentioned insects, beetles do have a a role to play in pollination. Beetles can leave a mess in a garden and they are not as efficient as some other pollinators.They carry or drop pollen from one flower species to the next they visit. Beetle polinated plants ten to be large, strongly scented fowers such as Magnolia and pond lilies. Flies are great generalist pollinators. They visit many species of small flowers that bloom under shade and moist locations. Birds Hummingbirds are the primary birds to play a role in pollination in North America. Brightly colored tupular flowers attract hummingbirds to gardens. They can see the color red; bees cannot. Bats of the Eastern Broadleaf Forest are not pollinators, however their cousins in the southwest feed on agave and catus. It is of utmost importance we take immediate steps to help pollinator populations thrive. In doing so we support our own needs and diversity in the natural world. One of Michelle's favorite pollinators is the Mason Bee (Osmia spp.) So far, today is September 22, in 2012, Ned and Michelle have seen very few (actually no ) honey bees this year, but we keep careful watch for these gentle, little bees. Taken from The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and spiders: "Mason Bees are 3/8 - 1/2" long, Black with long black hair on thier thorax and both sides of the head. Tongues long; mandables prominent, sharp. Female has pollen brush below abdominal segments 2-3. Legs black. Wings clear to brownish. Meadows and forest edges. Throughout North America; every state and Canadian provise a dozen more distinct species, each showing more limiteds distribution. Adult drings nectar. Larva feeds on nectar and pollen. Female constructs small nests cells of clay, individually or in clusters, that are attached to twigs or stones or built into cavities of wood. Each cell is provisioned with pollen and nectar, then 1 egg is lqaid inside. Larvea spin tough cocoons before pupating. Adults are seen April - June. One generation a year. Mason bees convert clay into a cementlike material. Some species include plant fragments in their nest construction. Others build inside empty snail shells, and still otrhers line each nest with snips of flower petals." What can we do to attract pollinators? A variety of plants with specific flower colors are recommended to draw particular pollinators to your yard. --Bright white, yellow, blue or violet flowers attract bees. --Dull white or green flowers attract beetles. --Scarlet, orange, red and white flowers attract hummingbirds. --Brightly colored flowers including red and purple attract butterflies. --Pale and dull to dark brown and purple flowers attract flies. Foot notes: 1. Eastern Broadleaf Forest Oceanic Province http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/Guides/EasternBroadleafOceanicrx20FINAL.pdf 2. Where honey bees come from. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_do_honey_bees_come_from#ixzz1u5yGu8wx Recommended reading: 1. The Forgotten Pollinators, Buchmann and Nabhan - estimated that animal pollinators are neede for the reproduction of 90% of flowereing plants and 33% of human food crops.