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Creating Pollinator Habitat Fact Sheet No Creating Pollinator Habitat Fact Sheet No. 5.616 Insect Series|Home and Garden by H.S. Arathi, D. Davidson and L. Mason* Pollinators are animal species that Flower Visitor or Pollinator? Quick Facts provide pollination services to plants Pollinators include bees, wasps, in natural/wild landscapes, cultivated • Pollinator species include beetles, flies, moths, butterflies, gardens and agriculture settings around bees, beetles, flies, moths, hummingbirds, and bats (Fig. 1a, the globe. They have coevolved with b and c). However, just because an butterflies, hummingbirds, plants and the relationship between insect or a bird is visiting a flower, it and bats. plants and pollinators is very intricate; is not necessarily a pollinator (Fig. 2). each relying on each other for survival. • More than 70% of the world’s Pollinators move between flowers of These important services help many flowering plants rely on the same plant species in an orderly plants complete their lifecycles, as pollination which is essential fashion, whereas flower visitors move well as ensuring food and shelter for for producing fruits and haphazardly among flowers spending very little time within a flower. Even seeds. if it does happen that a flower visitor • Just like humans and other gathers pollen grains on its body, it animals, pollinators need will not necessarily move to the same food, water, shelter and space flower species, therefore pollination (collectively known as habitat) would not occur. to support robust populations. • Creating habitat is something How Pollination Happens that everyone can do to help When a pollinator enters a flower, support pollinators in their Figure 1a: Swallowtail butterfly. Photo by Lisa pollen grains from that flower stick area. Mason to its body (Fig. 3). The pollinator then moves to another flower on the same plant or a different plant, but of the same species. This leads to the transfer of pollen from its body Figure 1b: Hummingbird. Photo by Lisa Mason humans and other animals for many generations. Pollinators visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen which provides nutrition for their offspring. More than 70% of flowering plants in the world rely on pollinators for fruit and seed production. © Colorado State University Extension. 1/18. extension.colostate.edu *H.S. Arathi (Arathi Seshadri), CSU, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, D. Davidson: CSU Extension, Boulder County, L. Mason: CSU Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management Department, 1/2018. Figure 1c: Bumble bee. Photo by Lisa Mason to the next flower resulting in cross- habitats can be found in a variety of smaller bees will be able to work pollination. Pollination is essential for settings, both large and small. Some smaller flowers more effectively. plant reproduction – production of gardens, such as botanical gardens, When planting for pollinators it is fruits and seeds. It is important to note may be a collection of plants used for important to consider the structure that not all plants rely on pollinators, conservation and display purposes of the flowers too. Different species some are wind pollinated such as most and in other cases, gardens may be may be more or less inclined to visit of our grains: wheat, rice, corn, barley, places where new varieties of flowering a bell shaped flower over a flat disk oats, etc. plants are being evaluated; these, shaped flower and vice versa. Bees along with home gardens can serve as like to focus on flowers of similar pollinator habitat. In most cases, when structure and so grouping flowers What is Pollinator Habitat? there are several flowering plants all in of similar structure together while Just like humans and other animals, bloom, pollinators will be attracted to designing the landscape will work in pollinators need food, water, shelter them (Fig. 4). sync with their preferences. It is best and space to support robust to plant in layers, replicating nature. populations. Pollinator habitat is If a habitat is intentionally planted Begin by establishing a basic structure an area with a variety of flowering to provide nutrition for pollinators, with trees and shrubs. Then add plants that provide food and nesting then it needs to contain a mixture of perennials, grasses, and groundcovers space. The habitat may be a plant species so that bloom times as further layers within the landscape. natural setting such as a prairie or range from early spring to late fall. a meadow, or it could be manmade This ensures that flowers will be where a combination of flowering available throughout the pollinator Plant list for forage plants are cultivated specifically to activity season. Home gardens, parks, The list of plants for pollinator habitats provide nutrition and nesting space community gardens, prairies and will vary for different parts of Colorado for pollinators. Manmade pollinator meadows can all provide pollen and as climatic conditions, soil quality, nectar. These habitats can be refuges elevation and water availability are for pollinators foraging through lawns highly variable. Here are some suitable and farmlands that may not have the plants that are grouped based on the floral resources they need. flowering season. Again, it is important to have plants that bloom from early How to Create Pollinator spring through summer and as late Habitat into the fall as possible to provide You can design a garden that is continual resources for pollinators. both beautiful for you and provides This list may be updated periodically habitat (food, water and shelter) for so check back before planting season pollinators. An important factor to and make sure plants you choose are consider when planning a habitat appropriate to your area. garden is what type of pollinator you are designing it for. Providing plants Early-Season that bloom early in the season until • Nodding onion – Allium cernuum late is important for all pollinators, Figure 2: Masarid wasp. Photo by Lynn and • Serviceberry – Amelanchier alnifolia Gene Monroe but you should also consider what type of flowers and potential nesting • Winecups – Callirhoe involucrata sites to make the • Sulphur flower – Eriogonum umbellatum garden attractive to different species. • Wallflower – Erysimum spp. For instance, bees prefer a broad • Prairie smoke – Geum triflorum range of plants, • Blue Flax – Linum lewisii some of which may provide pollen • Blue mist and firecracker penstemon – only, while others Penstemon eatorii and P. virens provide pollen • Pasque flower – Pulsatilla patens and nectar. Flower size also matters. • Flowering fruit trees including apples, Some natives cherries, peaches and plums bees are quite large and prefer • Penstemons (many native and cultivar size appropriate options, check with local nursery) Figure 3: Honey bee covered in pollen grains. Photo by Bruce Leander flowers, whereas • Yarrow – Achillea millefolium The important thing to remember is that any habitat is better than no habitat. If done correctly, creating a beautiful garden for yourself can have far reaching benefits that positively impact the greater ecosystem that surrounds you. References Attracting Native Bees to Your Landscape, Colorado State University Fact Sheet # 5.615 Websites for other plant options: • The Xerces Society: (https://xerces.org/ pollinator-conservation/plant-lists/) • USDA NRCS: (https://www. nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/ Figure 4: Pollinator habitat. Photo by Deryn Davidson detailfull/national/plantsanimals/ Mid-Season Location of the garden is extremely pollinate/?cid=NRCS143_022326) • Lead Plant – Amorpha canescens important. Most pollinators generally • NAPPC/Pollinator Partnership: (http:// prefer sunny areas and large • Asters (many native and cultivar options, pollinator.org/guides) connected habitats are better than check with local nursery) small patchy ones. Before planting, • Pearly everlasting – Anaphalis determine if you can connect your margaritacea front yard and your backyard through the use of flowering plants and plan • Showy milkweed – Asclepias speciosa accordingly. It is important to have a • Harebells – Campanula rotundifolia variety of flowering species planted as groups/swaths in the landscape rather • Blanket flower – Gaillardia aristata than as single plants. This allows the pollinators to work one area more • Salvias (many native and cultivar thoroughly and efficiently, rather than options, check with local nursery) having to move around a great deal to • Flowering trees including willows, black find plants of the same species. locust, linden and honey locust Challenges for Pollinators Late-Season There are a variety of factors facing • Blue Giant Hyssop – Agastache pollinators which interact with each foeniculum other. Intensive agriculture with increased monocropping, several • Rocky Mountain bee plant – Cleome rotations in the year, indiscriminate and serrulata improper use of chemicals to reduce weeds and pests, and destruction • Plains Coreopsis – Coreopsis tinctoria of natural habitats are some of the • Common sunflower – Helianthus annuus most important factors. These, in combination, compromise the nutrition • Hairy False Goldenaster – Heterotheca and health of our pollinators, leaving villosa them to become vulnerable to many • Goldenrod – Solidago spp. diseases and pests. Your efforts to create habitat for these important • Rabbitbrush – Chrysothamnus species can greatly contribute towards Colorado State University, U.S. Department of nauseosus the ongoing efforts for the protection Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. and conservation of all pollinators. CSU Extension programs are available to all without • Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not • Boulder raspberry – Rubus deliciosus mentioned..
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