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Importance and Types of Pollinators – Did You Know?

Importance and Types of Pollinators – Did You Know?

Do you enjoy a tasty bowl of fruit in the morning? Or maybe a hot steaming cup of coffee? If the answer is yes, then raise (or tip) your hat to our pollinators. About 75% of food crops depend on pollination to some extent, but pollinators provide the bulk of the pollination for over 80% of the world’s flowering plants. A pollinator can be birds, bats, or even small mammals but, insects such as ants, bees, beetles, wasps, butterflies, and moths do the bulk of the pollination that affects our daily lives.

Plants normally benefits from attracting a particular type of pollinator to their flowers, ensuring transfer and hopefully resulting in reproduction. The pollinator benefits from its adaptation of a particular flower with different traits to access nectar and pollen. These floral traits include odor, color, size, flower shape, reward type, amount, nectar composition, and timing of flowering. This plant pollinator interaction is known as pollination syndrome.

Did you know ­–

  • That tubular red flowers with a lot of nectar often attract birds.
  • Also, foul smelling flowers attract carrion flies or beetles.
  • Butterflies and moths can help spread pollen; however, they don’t have any specialized structures for collecting pollen.
  • Beetles pollinate more than 80% of all flowers – clusters of flowers are ideal because beetles are clumsy fliers.
  • While bees are drawn to plants on the blue, white, purple, and yellow color spectrum. Bees possessing hairs and other specialized anatomical structures that can readily collect and transfer pollen, making them an important plant pollinator. However, the honey bee, (Apis spp.) is the world’s top pollinator and is responsible for one-third of what we eat, yet they are just a small representative of all the bee species.
UF/IFAS Photo: Rodger Evans
Honey bee on Sweet Alyssum.
FAMU/UF/IFAS Photo: Donna Arnold

Did you Know-

Everyone can contribute to pollinators by creating a home garden. Pollinators will make use of food and habitat anywhere it is found – roadsides, open fields, pastures, backyard flower gardens etc. One can be pollinator friendly by doing any of the activities below:

  • Plant an assortment of plants – varying in color, size and type to support a greater number and diversity of pollinators. 
  • Plant native plants – as they are considered the best choice due to their abundance of nectar and pollen, among other benefits.
  • Use little or no pesticides – instead maintain a sustainable garden with the suitable plant species that will support natural beneficial insects—reducing the need for pest control.
  • Educate others about the importance of pollinators.
  • Seasonal planting – Choose pollinator plants that bloom in spring, summer, and fall. Timing is crucial – plant flowers in clumps that bloom in early spring (emerging winter hibernation) and late summer (preparing for hibernation) so bees have adequate food supply.
  • Provide habitat or install bat boxes. Bats play a vital role in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds.
UF/IFAS Photo: Tyler Jones

Helpful Hint: Did you know dandelions are the first food for bees emerging in the spring. Leave them in your yard and feed the bees!

For more information, please contact your local county extension office or visit the following websites: Pollination – UF/IFAS Extension (ufl.edu); WEC247/UW291: Conservation of Bats in Florida (ufl.edu); https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/pollination/; https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2022/09/14/pollinators-its-not-all-about-the-bees/; and https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/pollinators.

Laziness  Encouraged: No Mow March Promotes Pollinators in the Panhandle

Laziness Encouraged: No Mow March Promotes Pollinators in the Panhandle

Need an excuse to not mow your lawn this month? UF/IFAS Extension agents in the Florida Panhandle are asking residents to skip their soon-to-be-weekly outdoor chore until the calendar flips to April.

The idea for “No Mow March” is borrowed from “No Mow May,” a concept begun in the United Kingdom that has now spread to northern parts of the United States.

“Obviously, our lawns are growing way too quickly by the time May rolls around,” said Beth Bolles, UF/IFAS Escambia County horticulture agent who is leading the pilot effort this year. “Here in North Florida, March is our transition period, when grass is exiting dormancy. But it’s also when pollinators are starting to become more active, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate them and promote their health and habitat.”

Bolles is quick to point out, though, that the month is about more than just turf.

“We recognize that some communities have rules to follow regarding their lawns,” she said. “There are other things you can do to encourage pollinators to visit, whether it’s container plants or adding new shrubs or pollinator houses. We encourage everyone to find their own way to participate.”

The first step in participating is to sign the pledge at go.ufl.edu/NoMowMarch. Visitors can also use the website to find virtual or in-person events geared to the topic, learn tips for adhering to homeowners association guidelines while still promoting pollinators, and record observations to a No Mow group on iNaturalist.

Follow the Gardening in the Panhandle Facebook page to stay in the know throughout No Mow March.

Kirsten Romaguera, UF/IFAS public relations specialist,
O: 352-294-3313, C: 936-689-2754, kromaguera@ufl.edu

Panhandle Beekeeping Resources

Panhandle Beekeeping Resources

When people think of livestock, honeybees may not be the first thing that comes to mind. Bees are, however, a very significant part of agriculture. It is estimated that 30% of the crops we use for food are pollinated by honeybees. That’s around $15 billion of crops! On top of that, these hardworking insects also produce honey, wax, and other products that we can use.

For those who want to get into the world of beekeeping, it can be a challenge to absorb all the information that’s out there. Thankfully, there are resources out there to assist. If you or someone you know are interested in apiculture, you might try:

Online resources. The University of Florida (UF) publishes research-based information in its EDIS publications. For topics relating to beekeeping specifically, you can go here: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/entity/topic/beekeeping. From there you can find links to specific publications, such as the Florida Beekeeping Management Calendar and much more. UF also has a Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab with online resources about their Master Beekeeper program and Bee College at https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee/.

The American Beekeeping Federation maintains a website with tons of information on beekeeping at https://www.abfnet.org/. From there you can join the federation, find local groups, and find nationwide educational opportunities and resources for beekeepers.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) requires beekeepers to register hives. You can find information on that here: https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Bees-Apiary/Apiary-Inspection. This site has a lot of extra information on beekeeping and links to other resources as well!

Local Resources. While digital sources of information can help, nothing can take the place of simply having other beekeepers to go to for answers. Local beekeeping organizations are a great place to start. Listed by county, here are some from across the panhandle:

County / Counties Organization Meeting dates / times
Escambia Escarosa Beekeepers Association 2nd Tues. / month at 7 pm.
North Escambia Bee Association 2nd Mon. / month at 7 pm.
Santa Rosa Santa Rosa Beekeepers Association 3rd Thurs. / month at 7 pm.
Okaloosa Tri-County Beekeepers Association Last Tues. / month at 6:30 pm.
Walton New association forming now! TBD. Contact Walton County Extension for info – (850) 892-8172
Holmes / Washington Central Panhandle Beekeepers Assn. 1st Mon. / month at 6 pm.
Bay Tupelo Beekeepers Association 2nd Mon. / month at 6 pm.
Jackson Chipola Beekeepers 3rd Mon. / month at 6 pm.
Leon / Jefferson / Wakulla / Gadsden Apalachee Beekeepers Association 2nd Tues. / month at 6:30 pm.

As always, your local Extension office is available for help as well. Happy beekeeping!

 

 

 

The Tupelo Honey Festival is Just Around the Corner

The Tupelo Honey Festival is Just Around the Corner

The Annual Tupelo Honey Festival will be held Saturday, May 21st from 9 am – 4 pm central time at Lake Alice Park in Wewahitchka. This is an exciting event, with your chance to take part in a local treat. Area honey producers will be on hand, selling their honey in a variety of sizes. There will also be food, art & crafts, and live music.

For decades, tupelo honey has been synonymous with Gulf County. The nectar from the tupelo gum tree (Nyssa ogeche), produces some of the finest honey in the world. The common name “tupelo” is derived from language of the Muscogee Nation, also known as the Creek Indian Nation. The meaning of the word is “swamp tree”, as this tree flourishes in areas of wet soils and seasonal flooding. Gulf County is home to one of the largest tupelo forests on earth.

Honeybee visiting tupelo blossoms

Honeybee visiting tupelo blossoms. Photo Credit: Gulf County Tourist Development Council

The tupelo bloom season lasts from approximately mid-April to the end of May. This is an anxious time for beekeepers. Tupelo blooms are very temperamental and delicate in nature. For this short period, beekeepers hope for little wind or rain and no cold temperatures, as any of these factors can make or break tupelo honey production. Regardless of seasonal impacts, the demand for Gulf County’s tupelo honey never subsides.

Please visit http://www.tupelohoneyfestival.com/ for more information on the festival. For more information on beekeeping, contact Gulf County Extension at 639-3200.

UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Register Now! 9th Annual Beekeeping in the Panhandle Conference on Friday May 6th & Saturday May 7th 2022

University of Florida IFAS Extension and the Beekeeping in the Panhandle Working Group have once again teamed up to offer the 9th Annual Beekeeping in the Panhandle Conference on Friday May 6th and Saturday May 7th 2022 at the Washington County Ag Center Auditorium.

This year’s event will feature: Hands-on open hive experiences, presentations on the latest in research-based beekeeping management practices, interaction with expert beekeepers, vendors with beekeeping equipment, and hive products. Door prizes will be available as well!

The registration fee for the event will be $35 for one day or $55 for both days and $15 per day for youth 12 and under.

The activities will take place from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Central Standard Time each day and will include a catered lunch.

Location: 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL

Ways to register:

Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-annual-beekeeping-in-the-panhandle-conference-trade-show-tickets-269199873067

Or drop by the Washington County Office at 1424 Jackson Avenue in Chipley.

For more information contact Washington County Extension Office at (850) 638-6180.