Bumble Bee visits a Zinnia flower The Pollinator Partnership is proud to announce that June 21-27, 2010 has been designated National Pollinator Week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Three years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of the final week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations.

In just three years Pollinator Week has grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats and beetles.

The growing concern for pollinators is a sign of progress, but it is vital that we continue to maximize our collective effort. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture signs the proclamation every year.

Pollinating animals, including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles and others, are vital to our delicate ecosystem, supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watershed, and more. Therefore, Pollinator Week is a week to get the importance of pollinators’ message out to as many people as possible. Pollinators positively affect all our lives- let’s SAVE them and CELEBRATE them.

Let’s talk about some facts about pollinators and pollination. Pollination occurs when pollen grains are moved between two flowers of the same species, or within a single flower, by wind or animals that are pollinators.

Successful pollination, which may require visits by multiple pollinators to a single flower, results in healthy fruit and fertile seeds so plants to reproduce.

Without pollinators, we simply wouldn’t have many crops.

About 75% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators and over 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators. Of those, about 1,000 are hummingbirds, bats, and small mammals.

The rest are insects such as beetles, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies, and moths.

Worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices, and medicines need to be pollinated by animals in order to produce the goods on which we depend.

Foods and beverages produced with the help of pollinators include blueberries, chocolate, coffee, melons, peaches, pumpkins, vanilla, and almonds.

Plants that depend on a single pollinator species, and likewise, pollinators that depend on a single type of plant for food are interdependent. If one disappears, so will the other.

Most species of bees don’t sting. Although all female bees are physically capable of stinging, most bee species native to the U.S. are “solitary bees,” that is, not living in colonies and don’t sting unless they are physically threatened or injured.

Only honey bees are defensive and may chase someone who disturbs their hive.

It is wise, though, to avoid disturbing any bee or insect nest. For instance, if you spot an underground nest of ground-nesting bees, you might want to mark it with a stick so that it can be easily avoided.

Some people are allergic to pollen of various flowering trees, plants and grasses, but not to all pollen.

A common misunderstanding is that hay fever is caused by goldenrod pollen. It isn’t! Ragweed is the main offender and should be avoided.

The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service promotes pollinators in the various programs. “Bees are an integral part of pollination for producing cucurbits and other blossoming plants,” says John Prukop, Chairman of the Kleberg-Kenedy Soil and Water Conservation District in Kingville. “They are important to a cacti as well as a watermelon to produce fruit.” More information will be forthcoming in next week’s column.