Butterflies, bumblebees, hummingbirds, moths and other pollinators add life to the landscape and put food on the table! National Pollinator Week–June 19 to June 25, 2017–celebrates the critters that are vital to the production of nearly 75 percent of food crops and almost 80 percent of all flowering plants.
Did you know? Our morning coffee and delicacies like chocolate, vanilla and almonds are brought to us thanks to insect pollinators. If you like to eat apples, sweet cherries, pumpkins, pears, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, nuts and other fresh produce you should love pollinators!
To help declining populations of bees and butterflies, foodies and nature enthusiasts are turning the soil in their own landscapes. Planting habitat gardens for pollinators is a growing trend nationwide!
The Woodlands offers an ideal climate to provide nectar and host plants year-round. The options are endless: group nectar plants in small niche gardens; choose native flowering plants for decorative containers; use native shrubs for focal points and foundation plantings or replace swaths of turf grass with islands of blooming perennials.
Create Buzz in Your Garden…
- Plant a pollinator garden. Include nesting sites!
- Select native nectar and host plants that bloom successively throughout the year.
- Bee curious! Know what bugs you before reaching for pesticide. Remember, that caterpillar could turn into a beautiful butterfly! Visit www.bugguide.net to identify insects in your garden.
- Introduce and observe pollinators with kids. Explore pollinator activities with your budding scientist.
- Request a Pollinator Packet by calling Environmental Services at 281-210-3800.
For more pollinator tips and to manage bees out-of-place, please visit the Wildlife webpage.
