---
id: 6be0bf03-0144-4076-b2b6-312820724b49
blueprint: default
title: Pollination
author: 5946e059-6ded-4e28-811d-461564fe45e4
updated_by: 4eab0762-d09f-4d12-9634-26c9cab89e08
updated_at: 1731688210
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seo_canonical_type: entry
og_image: meta/learn_pollination2.jpg
seo_title: 'Learn About Bee Pollination'
seo_description: 'Bees pollinate nearly one-third of the food we eat, along with many wild flowering plants that are vital to our natural ecosystems.'
parent: c5f6559a-a3aa-4f01-8e03-34e2d813c259
content:
  -
    id: ljds1lvs
    hero_image: hero/pollination.jpg
    hero_image_tablet: hero/pollination-tablet.jpg
    hero_image_mobile: hero/pollination-mobile.jpg
    hero_title: 'BEES HELP PUT FOOD ON OUR TABLES.'
    hero_text: 'Pollination is how plants reproduce. Between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on earth — including about 900 food crops — rely on help from pollinators.<sup>[1]</sup>   While there are many insects and animals who can pollinate, bees in particular are incredibly effective at this ecosystem service.'
    type: hero
    enabled: true
    hero_show_skip_arrow: true
  -
    id: sQ51yZ0D
    title: 'How do bees pollinate plants?'
    text_content: 'Bees need flowers for food, and plants depend on bees to help them reproduce via pollination. In nature, this is a prime example of a mutualistic relationship. Here’s a quick breakdown of how the process works.'
    expanded_text_content: |-
      **Pollen**
      When foraging for food, a bee collects nectar and pollen from a flower blossom. Some pollen grains from the stamen (the flower’s male reproductive organ) sticks to the bee’s hair. 

      **Pistil**
      When the bee visits the next flower of the same species, some of this pollen rubs off onto the pistil (the flower’s female reproductive organ). 

      **Fertilization**
      That simple transfer of pollen fertilizes the flower, which leads to the production of fruit and/or seeds. When the seeds fall to the ground (or are spread elsewhere by wind, water, animals or humans), new plants grow. This is how many of our vegetables, fruits, garden flowers, legumes and nuts reproduce!
    image: art/how-do-bees-pollinate-plants.jpg
    type: simple_image_text
    enabled: true
  -
    id: E3x8Qz8R
    title: 'Why are bees such effective pollinators?'
    text_content: 'Bees have special behaviors and physical adaptations that make them especially effective at transferring pollen between flowers.'
    expanded_text_content: |-
      - They spend much of their lives visiting flowers to drink nectar and gather pollen for their offspring.
      - Their bodies have many fuzzy hairs that collect pollen grains as they forage. Females bees also have specialized structures on their legs (or belly) that are designed to hold pollen. 
      - They often visit the same type of flower in a single foraging trip, which means more pollen transferred across plants of the same species.
    image: art/why-are-bees-effective-pollinators.jpg
    type: simple_image_text
    enabled: true
  -
    id: avq8SXjK
    title: 'What is buzz pollination?'
    text_content: 'Certain plants keep their pollen stashed deep within their anthers, where it can only be dislodged by a buzz pollinator. Luckily, bumblebees and several other native bee species possess this special skill, also known as floral sonication!'
    expanded_text_content: |-
      While grasping tightly onto the flower’s anther, the bee will rapidly vibrate her flight muscles (up to 24,000 vibrations per minute) to shake the pollen out. She’ll collect much of this pollen on her legs to take back to her nest, but some of the loose grains that stick to her body will then be transferred to the female part of another flower of the same species — resulting in fertilization! 

      Blueberries, tomatoes, cranberries, eggplants and potatoes are just a few of the many foods that need the assistance of a buzz pollinator to reproduce. Flowers like senna and partridge pea (shown) are also buzz pollinated.
    image: art/buzz-pollination.jpg
    type: simple_image_text
    enabled: true
  -
    id: OEsIIo38
    title: 'How do bees impact our food supply?'
    text_content: 'Bees are responsible for pollinating nearly 1/3 of the food we eat, including about 900 food crops worldwide.<sup>[2]</sup>  They make it possible for us to enjoy countless fruits, vegetables and nuts.'
    expanded_text_content: |-
      Here are just a few of the healthy foods we wouldn’t have without their pollination services: apples, almonds, asparagus, broccoli, blueberries, cashews, cranberries, cucumbers, cantaloupes, cherries, mangoes, peaches, pears, pumpkins, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon.

      Bees contribute to higher crop yields, as well as size and quality of fruits produced. Research conducted on berry farms has shown that pollination from native bees could boost production up to 36% on one farm alone.<sup>[3]</sup>  Other crops that are typically wind-pollinated or self-pollinated are sometimes more productive when visited by bees.
    image: art/how-do-bees-impact-our-food-supply.jpg
    type: simple_image_text
    enabled: true
  -
    id: 9PY2P1vT
    title: 'How do bees impact our ecosystems?'
    text_content: 'Beyond our food supply, consider all the other bee-pollinated flowers, shrubs and trees that insects and animals depend on for their everyday needs.'
    expanded_text_content: |-
      - Forage⁠ (leaves, fruits, nuts, berries, seeds, nectar, pollen)⁠
      - Nesting sites and protective shelter
      - The host plants necessary to complete their life cycle (e.g., milkweed for monarch butterflies, spicebush for swallowtail butterflies)⁠

      When we protect bee populations, we protect our food supply, natural ecosystems and biodiversity. That's why our collective Beesponsible actions are so important!
    image: art/how-do-bees-impact-our-ecosystems.jpg
    type: simple_image_text
    enabled: true
  -
    id: ljffg9xp
    references_title: References
    references_list_type: ol
    references_list:
      -
        id: ljffgdwx
        link_url: 'https://www.pollinator.org/pollinators'
        link_text: 'Pollinators need you. You need pollinators. (Pollinator.org)'
      -
        id: ljffgkbx
        link_url: 'https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/pollinators'
        link_text: 'The importance of pollinators (USDA)'
      -
        id: ljffgkw4
        link_url: 'https://www.uvm.edu/gund/news/secret-better-berries-wild-bees'
        link_text: 'The Secret to Better Berries? Wild Bees (UVM)'
    type: references
    enabled: true
    show_read_more: false
---
