Pollinator Derby!

The purpose of this game is to acquaint kids with different types of pollinators and the ways that flowers attract them. It taps into kids’ excitement about seeing “their” insect or flower and keeping score. The game is based on the concept of “pollinator syndromes;” that is, certain classes of pollinators tend to prefer certain types of flowers (based on color, shape, type of nectar or other reward).

The way it works is to give each hiker a pollinator card (you can just print these pages out, cut each row of the table into strips and fold along the middle line to get six folded “cards”—no glue necessary). During the hike, the student gets to make a tally mark on his or her card whenever a flower that is likely to be pollinated by that animal is encountered OR you actually see the pollinator itself.

But, Beware! These are just general syndromes. In the field, you may see a pollinator visiting a kind of flower not listed, or the flower doesn’t smell like it is “supposed to.” The goal is to have fun and encourage discussion and observation, not to be “right.”

This game was designed by Jeanne Wirka for ACR Education. Many thanks to the Bouverie Preserve Docents who field tested it on February 28, 2007 and gave me many good suggestions. (modified by Gwen Heistand 2008, 2010, 2014 to include MGP plant examples)

Notes, Observations, and 5 Cool Things

MGP Docent Training

Bird Flower shape: Deep wide tube

Color: Bright Red

Scent: No scent (most bird’s can’t smell!)

What does the pollinator get? Nectar

Example: hummingbird fuchsia (Zauschneria californica); columbine (Aquilegia formosa); flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum); scarlet monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis); paintbrush (Castilleja subinclusa ssp. Fransciscana)

Flower shape: shallow; lip flowers; many small flowers in mass; irregular flower Bee shapes; nectar guides; landing platform

Color: Yellow, Blue or Purple (or UV)

Scent: Fresh, sweet

What does the pollinator get? Nectar and/or pollen.

Example: Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum); Ceanothus (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus); woodland tarweed (Madia madioides); California poppy (Eschscholzia californica); Soap Plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)

Moth Flower shape: Deep, narrow tube

Color: White or pale green

Scent: Strong, sweet

What does the pollinator get? Nectar

Example: Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.)

Flower shape: Deep, narrow tube; many Butterfly flowers massed together; stamens and stigmas protrude forward;

Color: Red, yellow, pink or purple

Scent: Fresh, sweet

What does the pollinator get? Nectar

Example: wild lilac (Ceanothus spp.); hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum grande); Milkmaids (Cardamine californica); Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Flower shape: Flat or funneled/“trap-like”

Fly Color: Purple or brown

Scent: stinky

What does the pollinator get? Nothing! The fly is tricked into pollinating because the flower stinks like rotting stuff that flies like.

Example: Dutchman’s pipevine (Aristolochia californica); wild ginger; fetid adder’s tongue

Flower shape: varies widely; Flat to bowl Beetle shaped

Color: Purple or brown or just dull or white, , or yellow-orange

Scent: Strong, fruity

What does the pollinator get? Edible flower parts. (a few drink nectar)

Examples: Morning glory (Convolvulus spp.); buckwheat (Eriogonum spp.)