Pollinators are a critical group of animals that make plant reproduction (seeds and fruits) possible. Much of the food we eat, clothes we wear, medicines we consume, and materials we frequently use rely on a living organism to pollinate the plant it came from.
Pollinators are a critical group of animals that make plant reproduction (seeds and fruits) possible. Much of the food we eat, clothes we wear, medicines we consume, and materials we frequently use rely on a living organism to pollinate the plant it came from.
In Wyoming, these pollinators include a variety of bees (bumble, mason, leafcutter, carpenter, sweat, etc.), butterflies and moths, beetles, wasps, hummingbirds... and also wind!
Pollinator Declines
Pollinator numbers are in decline in many places, for reasons known and unknown. The Biodiversity Institute would like your help to keep Wyoming pollinators healthy and numerous. You can provide or improve habitat for pollinators, and find and identify species to help scientists keep track of numbers. Encourage your family and friends to become pollinator-aware, and help reduce the use of pesticides in your community.
Wyoming officially declares one week in June each year as Pollinator Awareness Week, part of a national program to raise awareness on the diversity and benefits of pollinators, and how we can help protect them. Stop back here to keep in the know about what pollinator activities are going on!
Pollinator Resources
Presentations
Native Bees (42 MB), by Brenna Marsicek, given at the Wyoming Bee College, March 23, 2014