The Indians with surprise found the mouldering trees of their forests suddenly teeming with ambrosial sweet; and nothing, I am told, can exceed the greedy relish with which they banquet for the first time upon this unbought luxury of the wilderness. -Washington Irving
One of the most intriguing and poetic creatures that inhabits the earth is the bee, who is, at first glance, merely a plump, striped insect that elicits terror from children and mercilessly stings those who dare disturb its daily routine of traveling from flower to flower, plant to plant, until it is satisfied at last. However pesky and seemingly inconveniencing the bee may seem, the bee plays a vital role in our ecosystem, a role so vital that, without it, the ecosystem itself could not maintain its structure; The bee is a basal member of a classification known as a pollinator, defined by Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research as animals that fertilize plants, resulting in the formation of seeds and the fruit surrounding seeds. However, the pollinators are facing the threat of endangerment and even possible extinction, but the battle against extinction is not futile, and there are some simple precautions we can take to aid our pollinators in their struggle to survive. Through examining what a pollinator is, the nature of the threat they face, and what we can do to help, we will begin to see why we need our pollinators.
As previously stated, a pollinator is an animal that helps to move pollen from one plant to another, assisting in fertilization. While the term “pollinator” typically conjures images of the bee, one may be surprised by the realization that there are many different species of pollinators, including moths, beetles, lizards, bats, hummingbirds, and even some primates, such as monkeys and lemurs. Pollination itself can occur by many means, including wind (Anemophily) and water (Hydrophily), but one of the most successful means of pollination is through the interference of biological organism, who typically either carry pollen on their bodies unintentionally as they move from flower to flower.
With the rapid decline of pollinator populations, one must wonder what has caused such an enormous depletion of such indispensable creatures. One of the most commonly-known threats to the pollinators is the usage of pesticides in farms and gardens. Though intended to kill harmful insects that will hinder agricultural yields, pesticides may also kill insects such as bees and butterflies that aid in pollination. According to the Great Pollinator Project, deforestation, climate change and the introduction of non-native species of plant life are two major threats that the pollinators must face. Neonicotinoids, a commonly-used pesticide, was banned from the United States in 2013 due to declining bee populations, but little has been done beyond this to prevent harmful pesticide usage.
As the causes of pollinator depletion are widespread, the battle to save the pollinators may seem to be a futile effort. However, alongside raising large-scale awareness and conservation efforts to protect the pollinators, there are many smaller-scale things we can do to aid in the effort. One of the most obvious things we can do is to provide plantlife, such as flowers, to local pollinators in our gardens, both personal and communal, without harmful substances such as pesticides, and provide them with safe places for nesting. On a local scale, simply providing pollinators with food and shelter can mean the difference between prosperity and extinction. On a far more widespread note, however, we can petition to ban many of the more harmful pesticides and require the usage of more ecologically-friendly ones, which, in recent years, have been developed to aid both farmers and pollinators alike.
Not only is the survival of the pollinators essential to our ecosystem; we humans rely on the pollinators to fertilize our plant life, a job so essential that we cannot afford to go without. With a few selfless actions, we can preserve our population, both local and widespread, of pollinators, which will have an immensely positive impact on both we ourselves and for generations to come. When it comes down to the preservation of the ecosystem and human survival, we need our pollinators.
