Pollinators in the Home Garden | Penn State Extension (2024)

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    Information on pollination and bees, including gardening for native pollinators, such as butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects like moths and wasps. Tips on bee health, Beekeeping 101, and pollination requirements for fruits and nuts.

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    1. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Around the World: Himalayas

      When 03/21/2024

      Length 1 hour

      Explore the vital role of the Asian honey bee in mountain villages, addressing challenges and opportunities for eco-friendly income in a diverse landscape where Apis cerana plays a crucial pollination role.

    2. Workshops

      $10.00

      Spring Series: Planting for Pollinators - Native Wildflower Meadows

      When 03/21/2024

      Length 1.5

      Explore the cultivation of native wildflower meadows, the advantages of native plants for pollinators, and the identification of common butterflies and insects.

    3. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Around the World: Sweden

      Discover all aspects of beekeeping in Sweden, from general facts and equipment to nectar sources, climatic conditions, and health regulations, including the Swedish Bees platform in the Pollinate Sweden network.

    4. Articles

      Manteniendo abejas melíferas

      By Tom Butzler, Timothy Kelsey, Ph.D., Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Maryann Frazier, Lynn Kime

      Las abejas de la miel pueden ser manejadas para producir una gran variedad de productos, pero su mayor valor está en el rol que juegan en la polinización de cultivos agrícolas.

    5. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Around the World: Lesotho

      When 02/29/2024

      Length 1 hour

      Explore the impact of beekeeping in Lesotho on the three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, Social, and Economic aspects.

    6. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Around the World: Mexico

      When 03/07/2024

      Length 1 hour

      Discover differences in U.S. and Mexican beekeeping, diverse practices, the connection between traditional ecological knowledge and other systems, and practical applications of beekeepers' knowledge.

    7. Webinars

      Beekeeping Around the World: Ukraine

      Length 1 hour

      Gain valuable insights into the world of beekeeping in Ukraine with us.

    8. Webinars

      Conceptos básicos de Apicultura

      Length 6 horas en total

      Descubra el mundo de la apicultura. Aprenda habilidades esenciales para la práctica de apicultura, desde el manejo de colmenas hasta el comportamiento de las abejas melíferas. Esta es perfecta para principiantes y entusiastas.

    9. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Basics Webinar Series (In Spanish Language)

      When 02/15/2024

      Length 9 Hours Total (6 weeks of 1.5 hrs. ea.)

      Unlock the world of beekeeping in our Spanish-language webinar series. Learn essential skills, from hive management to honey bee behavior. Join us for an interactive journey into beekeeping, perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

    10. Webinars

      Free

      Beekeeping Around the World: Thailand

      When 02/22/2024

      Length 1 hour

      Our renewed Beekeeping Around the World Series returns, highlighting the unique practices of honey beekeeping in Thailand!

    11. Workshops

      Length 2 hours

      Discover gardening secrets with Penn State Master Gardeners! From soil tests to pollinators, our session empowers enthusiasts. Join us for vibrant gardens and expert insights!

    12. Articles

      Pollination Requirements for Various Fruits and Nuts

      Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part (anther) of a flower to the female part (pistil) of the same or another flower of the same sort.

    13. Webinars

      Free

      Why Pollinators Matter and How to Create a Pollinator Certified Garden

      When 03/16/2024

      Length 1.5

      Pollination is crucial, producing food for wildlife and us. Yet, many pollinators struggle to find nourishment and safe nesting places. Join us to learn their importance and how to support them in your habitat.

    14. Webinars

      Second Saturday Gardening Series: Protecting Our Pollinators

      Length 1.5

      Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Montour and Northumberland County will discuss what we can do each season to support the needs of bumble bees and create bumble bee habitats.

    15. Articles

      Pollination and Pollinators

      By Constance Schmotzer

      Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anthers of a flower to the stigma of the same flower or another flower. The result is the production of fertile seeds.

    16. Articles

      Planting Pollinator-Friendly Gardens

      By Constance Schmotzer

      One of the most important ways you can help pollinators is by provisioning your yard with plants that provide pollen and nectar. To attract butterflies, you will also need to include a variety of larval host plants for caterpillars to eat.

    17. Articles

      Planting for Pollinators

      By Constance Schmotzer

      While springtime can often mean ants coming into the kitchen, other insects and animals are hard at work outside pollinating plants.

    18. Articles

      Mason Bees in the Home Garden

      Learn about the importance of mason bees as pollinators and how to encourage their activity in your garden.

    19. Videos

      Native Pollinators: A Promising Solution to an Emerging Crisis

      By Dave Biddinger, Ph.D., Ed Rajotte, Ph.D.

      Length 9:15

      Learn the importance of native pollinators in Pennsylvania.

    20. Articles

      Spring Bees: Who Are They and Where Do They Live?

      By Margarita López-Uribe, Ph.D.

      While spring is the beginning of the beekeeping season, early blooming plants not only feed honey bees but also hundreds of native solitary bee species that emerge at around the same time.

    21. Articles

      Pumpkin Pollinators

      Pumpkin fruit set can be affected by a number of production and environmental factors.

    22. Articles

      Using Common Weeds to Create a Flowering Lawn for Pollinators

      Throughout the years homeowners have spent considerable time and money trying to achieve a perfectly green and weed free lawn. However, a yard that is just grass is a floral desert for pollinators.

    23. Articles

      Make Your Property Pollinator Friendly

      Providing shelter and nesting sites for pollinators.

    24. News

      Heather Holm’s Top Gardening Activities to Support Native Bees

      Date Posted 5/24/2023

      Heather Holm, a pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author, offers these important tips for residential gardeners to support our native bees.

    25. Articles

      Bees and Wasps: Foraging for Food in the Fall

      By Tom Butzler

      In the fall, bees and wasps are on the hunt for sweets or carbohydrates, the primary energy source that keeps them flying and active for other routine activities.

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    3. Articles

      A Quick Reference Guide to Honey Bee Parasites, Pests, Predators, and Diseases

      Information about common honey bee maladies, including varroa mite, tracheal mite, bee louse, skunks, bears, foulbrood, and nosema.

    4. Articles

      Tracking the Health of Feral Honey Bees in Pennsylvania

      Dr. Margarita M. López-Uribe is leading a project to map feral bees and analyze their immune systems. If you are aware of an unmanaged honeybee colony, please let us know.

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    Pollinators in the Home Garden | Penn State Extension (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the importance of pollinators extension? ›

    Pollinators are responsible for roughly one out of every three bites of food we eat, being particularly important for the production of many nutrient-dense foods, including fruits and nuts. Beyond our plates, roughly 80% of plants rely on pollinators to reproduce.

    What is the role of pollinators in a garden habitat? ›

    Pollinators visit flowers in their search for food (nectar and pollen). During a flower visit, a pollinator may accidentally brush against the flower's reproductive parts, unknowingly depositing pollen from flower to flower. The plant uses the pollen to produce a fruit or seed.

    What is required for a pollinator garden? ›

    It's essential to choose plants that have not been treated with pesticides, insecticides or neonicotinoids. You'll also want to focus on selecting perennials to ensure your plants come back each year and don't require a lot of maintenance. Remember to think about more than just the summer growing season.

    What are 3 reasons pollinators are important? ›

    In addition to the food that we eat, pollinators support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils, protect from severe weather, and support other wildlife [7].

    What are the benefits of pollinators in garden? ›

    Pollinators, mostly insects, are important for the reproductive success of plants and also provide many other benefits to humans like helping produce the foods we commonly eat. To be able to survive, pollinators need to have proper shelter and nectar.

    How do pollinators affect plants? ›

    Pollinators assist with plant reproduction by helping to move pollen within or between flowers. Thus, pollinators play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity. Plants serve as the foundations of our ecosystems, and over 80% of flowering plants require pollination services.

    What are 5 pollinators? ›

    Photo source: WikiMedia Commons.
    • BEES. The bumble bee is an excellent pollinator, which involves transferring grains of pollen containing reproductive cells between male and female flower parts. ...
    • WASPS. ...
    • BUTTERFLIES. ...
    • Moths. ...
    • Beetles. ...
    • FLIES. ...
    • Hummingbirds. ...
    • BATS.
    Mar 9, 2021

    How can I help my backyard pollinators? ›

    Rotate garden crops from year to year. Water the garden as needed, not on a schedule. Choose plants that have not been treated with pesticides. Grow organically to encourage native pest predators such as lacewings and lady beetles to keep the pests in check.

    What are 3 steps to pollinator success? ›

    3 Ways to Boost Pollination
    1. Plant Flowers for Bees. Most of us are familiar with the plight of bees and their importance as pollinators. ...
    2. Assist in Pollination by Wind. Some crops are not insect-pollinated at all, but instead rely on the wind to carry their pollen to waiting female flowers. ...
    3. Hand-Pollinate Vegetable Crops.
    Feb 22, 2018

    Do vegetable gardens need pollinators? ›

    Successful pollination results in the production of viable seeds and a fruit to protect them. Most crop plants are pollinated by insects or wind. Many agronomic crops, such as wheat and corn, rely on wind pollination. In contrast, many fruits and vegetables require or benefit from insect pollination.

    Do you need pollinators to grow vegetables? ›

    Many vegetables need pollinators

    Several vegetables require pollinators in order to produce fruit. Squashes, cucumbers, pumpkins, eggplant, okra, watermelons, and muskmelons must be pollinated by insects transferring pollen. Incomplete pollination of vegetables may result in misshaped or undersized fruits.

    What kind of mulch do you use in a pollinator garden? ›

    Use composted pine mulch, shredded and unshredded leaves, straw and hay, or grass trimmings – all of these are lighter and will break down easily, releasing nutrients back into the soil. Make sure to avoid cedar mulch, as its smell actually repels pollinators.

    How much money do pollinators make? ›

    Pollinators—including bees, butterflies, moths, bats, birds, beetles and other insects—contribute approximately $500 billion a year to global food production, with honey bees alone providing pollination services valued at $15 billion to $20 billion annually in the U.S.

    What is the best mulch for pollinator gardens? ›

    Crimson clover, borage, yarrow, lemon balm, and even kale can be used to create pollinator-friendly living mulches. As these plants grow, their leaves shade the soil and their roots create air and water pockets, necessary elements for good plant health.

    What is the importance of pollination? ›

    Pollination brings fertilization by allowing the fusion of male gametes and female gametes. It helps in the production of foods and seeds. Pollination aids in the transmission of features and characteristics from both parents to the offspring.

    Why are pollinators important facts? ›

    Pollinators are often keystone species, meaning that they are critical to an ecosystem. The work of pollinators ensures full harvests of crops and contributes to healthy plants everywhere. An estimated 1/3 of all foods and beverages is delivered by pollinators.

    Why are pollinators important to the economy? ›

    Each season these insects provide a service that boosts harvest size and quality creates value for farmers and drives the global food supply. It's hard to imagine an ecosystem where they are absent. Without pollinators, more than 39 different crops would see a decline in production.

    What is the role of pollinators in gene flow? ›

    Animal pollinators directly affect plant gene flow by transferring pollen grains between individuals. Pollinators with restricted mobility are predicted to limit gene flow within and among populations, whereas pollinators that fly longer distances are likely to promote genetic cohesion.

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