Materials for today!

Take 1-2 minutes to go gather these supplies, if you

have them
● Pencil
● Paper or a notebook
Today’s topic is on...
pollinator species
How many can you name?
Objectives:
Today we will be able to identify:

🐝 3 different bee species

🐞 3 other pollinator species

Why should we care about
these creatures?
It’s spring time! Next time you’re outside, take a whiff of all the
sweet smells in the air, notice any cotton flying by, and the flowers
standing vibrant and tall.

This time of year wouldn’t be nearly as bright without our

pollinators.

Can you think of more reasons why pollinators are so important?

The
Can you identify these species?
bees
Bumblebees
🐝 help pollinate wild flora, as well as agricultural crops like
tomatoes, blueberries, and squash.

🐝 are more suited to cold weather, with their fuzzy bodies and ability to generate
heat while flying, which often allows them to be the first bees out in the spring

🐝only live one year at most, and queens often spend the
winter in leaf litter or in the ground
Mason bee fun facts
They appear in metallic colors like
blue, dull green and black.

They do not have pollen baskets,

which are the fringed part of the
honeybees’ legs for carrying pollen.
Instead, they carry pollen on the hairs
on their abdomens.
Male mason bees can't sting.
Females technically can, but
they're even more docile
than honeybees.
Ladybugs are pollinators too!

To consider which plants ladybugs pollinate, we look

at why ladybugs are likely to visit that plant.

We can find ladybugs in our gardens on plants like

cilantro, sunflowers, peas, and beans… but why?
Ladybugs are “accidental pollinators”

Ladybugs are primarily carnivores who feed on soft body insects, like aphids.
They do eat nectar, but it isn’t a diet they can live on.

As these beetles forage, their bodies collect pollen that transfers onto other
flowers they travel to.

Rain droplets that collect on their shells help

carry more pollen.
Birds are pollinators too!
The Hummingbird

How do you think

hummingbirds participate
in pollination?

Hummingbird and echinacea flower

Hummingbirds, the speediest pollinator
These pollinators travel at fast
rates to hundreds of flowers a day
to forage for nectar.

In that process, they transfer

pollen to all of the flowers they
feed on.

They shake the flower with their

bill or their wings as well as when
they stick their head into tube-
shaped flowers.
The Hummingbird

Most bird species lack a good sense of

smell. Although some species do have a
good sense of smell, like vultures,
hummingbirds’ aren’t as well-developed.

They have very small olfactory centers,

which is the part of the brain that allows
you to smell.
Did you know… bats also pollinate?
Because these species are
nocturnal, they don’t get enough
credit for pollinating.

They are attracted to plants that

flower at night with strong fruity
scents.
These plants depend on bats:
Primrose

Guava

Bananas

Peaches
Honeysuckle
See ya later pollinator!

In a while, compost pile!

We will see you next week with another fun science lesson!