How did I, a college student interested in popular culture and sports, become excited about something seemingly nerdy like pollinator week (June 17 to 23)? As an intern with the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club, one of my projects was to research the threats faced by pollinators.
While I knew that bees, butterflies, birds, and beetles help pollinate plants, I did not realize that they are key to growing 75 to 95 percent of all of our food supply and flowering plants. Not only are they crucial to the health of the ecosystem, but our food security depends on them.
Unfortunately for us, pollinator populations are in rapid decline.
After I learned about pollinator decline, I started to notice that the big, black bumblebees that once roamed the air during summer time were no longer around. Their presence and buzzing used to bother me, but now their absence worries me. In fact, I still have not seen a single bumblebee this summer.
Back at home my mother has a vegetable garden in the backyard. One day when we were looking at it, I told her that her tomatoes and cucumbers were not going to grow without being pollinated. She responded that she wasn’t worried about it, but I looked around and the only pollinator I could see was a little white butterfly.
Aside from that one little white butterfly, our backyard was void of any pollinating wildlife.
This is a worldwide problem. I watched the documentary the Vanishing of the Bees the other day and was amazed by the fact that Americans actually need to import bees from Australia just so we can pollinate and produce food. If the decline of bees and pollinating animals is so serious, why isn’t the public more aware of the problem?
Maybe they’re just like me. I didn’t notice the disappearance of these bumblebees until I learned about pollinator decline. Spreading awareness and educating the public on pollinators is definitely one of the goals of pollinator week.
We depend on pollinators for survival, and because of our actions they are in rapid decline. Our use of chemicals, global climate changes, and the way we ship them from place to place for pollination have put these creatures in great distress. Add to this the fact that they are being terrorized by a parasite, the varroa mite, which was spread by human movement. Bees and other pollinators are in great need of our help.
So how can we help?
Well, we can start in our own backyards by creating an environment that is friendly to pollinating animals. Native flowers are a great start. They offer a source of food for them. Native shrubs and other vegetations can provide a place for these pollinating insects and birds to live and raise their young. In addition, you should avoid any chemical use in your backyard.
You can also support local beekeepers and farmers by buying locally produced honey and organic farm produce.
Another way to help is to spread the word! Tell your friends and co-workers that a third of the food and beverages we consume are delivered by pollinators. They have fed us for thousands of years, and now it’s our turn to help them.
There are also many pollinator week events that you and your whole family can take part in! You can visit www.pollinator.org for more information on pollinators, gardening, and other great resources.