National Pollinator Week: June 17-23, 2024

By Karen Kapp, Administrative Secretary

This week is National Pollinator Week! 

Did you know that 1 of every 3 bites of food we eat are insect pollinated? These foods are usually the most nutritious, as they are packed with micronutrients and provide color to our plates. Apples, pumpkins, and peaches are valuable insect-pollinated agricultural products contributing millions of dollars to the state’s economy, according to the Pennsylvania State University. 

Pollinators are essential to human and ecological survival, with more than 150 food crops depending on pollinators in the United States alone. They also help plants reproduce, which helps keep the air we breathe clean, purifies the water we drink, and prevents soil erosion.

Plants with flowers require pollination to reproduce. This is very important to our ecosystem.  According to the USDA, there has been a major decline in pollinator population by 80% over a 15-year study.  Small practices such as planting a wildlife garden, reducing pesticide use, constructing bee houses, and incorporating leaves in your garden for winter cover can support pollinators in your yard and beyond. 

In Pennsylvania our main pollinators are:

• Bees

• Flies
• Butterflies
• Beetles
• Hummingbirds

Learn more about pollinators at the links below:
How the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Helps Pollinators | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (fws.gov)
9 Ways To Help Pollinators & Support Conservation Efforts (cec.org)
The Center for Pollinator Research (psu.edu)
10 Ways to Save Pollinators - The National Wildlife Federation Blog (nwf.org)

Source: PA Environment