The Birds and the Bees and The Beetles

The Birds and the Bees and… The Beetles! Why We Should Care About Pollinators? Christopher Gezon, NPS Joanna Gilkeson, USFWS John Sarvis, USFWS This presentation adapted from slides prepared by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

What is Pollination?

Animal Pollinators USFWS • Birds • Bats • Insects – Bees – Butterflies & Moths – Flies – Beetles – Wasps USFWS USDA-ARS Dean E. Biggins, USFWS Rick Hansen, USFWS

Importance of Pollinators • More than 75% of flowering plants depend on animal pollinators • In U. S. , over 100 crop plants depend on animal pollinators (value >$15 Billion) • Most natural ecosystems would collapse without animal pollinators • Some plants are endangered because of diminished pollination • Chocolate depends on pollinators!!

What Makes a Good Pollinator? • Highly mobile • Pollen can attach to it (hairs, scales, feathers) • Adapted to feeding on flowers/nectar/pollen • May have specialized feeding structures • Visits a limited number of plant species Mark Vandever, USGS

Meet the Pollinators

William R. Radke, USFWS

Bill Buchanan, USFWS

Mark Vandever, USGS

Dolores Savignano, USFWS

USDA-ARS

Stephen Ausmus, USDA-ARS

Mark Vandever, USGS

Dolores Savignano, USFWS

Jack Dykinga, USDA-ARS

Bob Peterson, CC BY 2. 0

USGS

Andrew Horton, USFWS

Brett Billings, USFWS

Ryan Hagerty, USFWS

Tom Koerner, USFWS CC BY 2.

Dolores Savignano/USFWS

Modified hind wing: “haltere” Flies, Diptera = “Two Wings” Dolores Savignano, USFWS

Alicia Langton, USFWS

Dolores Savignano, USFWS

John Katz and Joe Silveria, USFWS

NPS

Pollinator Conservation what do pollinators need? • Food – Nectar – Pollen – Larval food source • Nesting Sites – Ground nesting – Cavity nesting Rick Hansen, USWS • Overwintering Sites Brett Billings, USFWS

Pollinator Conservation Pollinators in Decline • Habitat loss, fragmentation • Invasive species • Pesticides • Diseases • Parasites Tamara Smith, USFWS Christopher Gezon, NPS

What You Can Do • Plant a garden • Put up bee nesting boxes • Provide overwintering habitat • Limit pesticide use Nell Baldacchino, USFWS A homemade bee nesting block

Pollinator Gardens • Choose plants that flower at different times of the year • Plant in clumps rather than single plants • Provide variety of colors and shapes • Choose native plants whenever possible – They attract native pollinators – Can be better sources of nectar and pollen – Can be a food source for caterpillars

Monarch Butterfly Conservation Shauna Marquardt, USFWS

Monarch Migration and Breeding

Monarch Butterfly Conservation Ann. Marie Krmpotich, USFWS

Pollinator Conservation for All! Debbie Koenigs, USFWS Rick Hansen, USFWS Doreen Van Ryswyk, USFWS Joanna Gilkeson, USFWS Monarch conservation helps other wildlife!

Thanks to: • U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for photos and factual materials for this presentation. • Final content was determined by your presenter and all opinions expressed were those of your presenter. Alicia Lafever, NPS