8 Ways to Help Pollinators – GWC Mag

Pollinators, such as bees, birds, and butterflies, are essential to the health of our ecosystems. They are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we take, and we would be in big trouble without them.

Sadly, due to general habitat loss and the sweeping use of pesticides, pollinator populations are declining at an alarming rate all around the world. Some, such as the monarch butterfly, are already on the endangered list.

Thankfully, there are a few things we can do to help Support the pollination populations in our backyard.

Check out this list of OGP articles that offer advice and tips on creating a pollinator paradise right on our doorsteps

1. Attract Pollinators

There are things that we can do to assist the pollinators, help the environment, and provide ourselves with a simply gorgeous backyard or porch. Planting pollinator-attracting flowers in your garden or pots on a porch can provide these essential critters with much-needed food and pollination fodder. For ideas on how to help, take a look at this feature on How to Attract Pollinator Friends to Your Garden.

2. Importance of Wildflowers

You don’t need to have a huge yard or meadow at your disposal to grow a little wildflower garden. Wildflowers are a joy to see out in nature. They can be spotted along roadsides and spied beside trails in the woods. But, it needn’t stop there. See if you can spare a little spot at home to plant a few native wildflowers. For ideas on how to do that, take a look here- 5 Tips for Starting a Wildflower Garden.

3. Companion Planting

There is plenty of information out there about companion planting for your vegetable garden. You know how it goes–plant basil with your tomatoes and carrots with your onions. There are many benefits to doing this kind of planting from improving the flavor of one or both of the companions, to controlling the types of insects and other pollinators that chose to hang around. Check out 5 of the Best Flowers to Grow in Your Veggie Garden.

4. Help The Hummingbirds 

Hummingbirds are fast, but they are not fast enough to fly themselves out of trouble. They were once killed for their iridescent feathers, but the bigger threat today — as is the case with bees and other animals — is habitat loss. Hummingbirds are very specialized animals with special needs, so when their food sources disappear, it causes them serious problems. Luckily, we have the power to help them, and they have the power to help us in return. If you want to know how you can help, check out this article- How (and Why) to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden.

5. Embrace Bats

Bats have a reputation that precedes them, and unfortunately, it isn’t a very good one. However, these qualities have been gross mischaracterizations of the world’s only flying mammals. (Other “flying” mammals are gliding, not flying.) Not only are bats not so horrible, or horrible at all, but they are extraordinarily important to the environment. Bats are instrumental in keeping insects in check, pollinating certain plants, and spreading seeds to keep biodiversity expanding. Read 7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Bats to gain a better understanding of these incredible creatures.

6. Pollinator Gardens

Pollinator gardens are great for all sorts of insects and even birds, a few of which are pollinators as well. All bees and several other insects—wasps, flies, moths, butterflies—love a good selection of fresh flowers to visit. And, hummingbirds! Rather than that dyed sugar water in the feeders, pollinator gardens are giving hummingbirds the real stuff: nectar. Learn about How Pollinator Gardens Work and maybe even grow your own.

7. The Ins and Outs of Butterfly Gardens

By and large, sunny gardens with flowers will attract butterflies, but there are several things that we, as garden designers, can do to both attract them and create the right environments for these lively insects. They like specific plants for nectar, as well as plants and trees for shelter. Get the right combination, and the garden will not only be full of butterflies but will also help them thrive and rebuild their populations. Brush up on The Ins and Outs of Butterfly Gardens right here.

8. Grow a Patch of Wildflowers

There are so many types of wildflowers, including some varieties native to your area, wherever that might be. With the world becoming all lawns, concrete, and monocultures, it’s always a positive to put more diversity out there for wildlife, particularly pollinators like bees. With so much wild space going to development, pollinators sometimes struggle to survive, unable to locate flowers in bloom. An array of wildflowers will mean that pollen of some sort is available throughout the growing season. Not only does this help with bees, but it attracts other beautiful pollinators, such as butterflies. Click here for more reasons Why You Should Grow a Patch of Wildflowers.

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