Pollinators of Wisconsin
Bees, Birds, Butterflies & More
Why are pollinators important? Approximately three quarters of the world’s major food crops
require or benefit from animal pollination. This includes many fruits and vegetables such as
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, plums, apples, sweet cherries, pears, watermelons,
cantaloupes, cucumbers, squashes, and tomatoes. Pollinators also are beneficial for seed production
in crops such as carrot, onion, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and many herbs.
What pollinators are common in Wisconsin? Pollinators in Wisconsin are primarily insects
such as bees, flies, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles, and ants, as well as hummingbirds. Bees are
the most important pollinators for many plant species, and they feed almost exclusively on pollen and
nectar. The non-native honeybee (Apis mellifera) is the most commonly used managed bee for
pollination of crop plants. The blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria), also referred to as the
mason orchard bee, is a native managed pollinator for orchards. Wild native bees also contribute
substantially to fruit and vegetable pollination. Home gardeners can have all of their pollination needs
supplied by wild native bees, although if honeybee hives are located nearby, honeybees may also
ontribute to pollination.
Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan
The Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan is a resource meant to provide voluntary guidance
and scientific information to residents and organizatons to serve their specific needs.
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XXX-Rated: Honey Bee Sex
Female honey bees have a full complement of chromosomes, one set from each parent. Males,
however, are formed from unfertilized eggs and are haploid; they contain only one copy of
each chromosome. Queens control whether or not they lay a fertilized egg because they are
able to store sperm from matings. In this way, the queens manage the sex ratio in the hive.
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How To Attract Butterflies To Your Garden
A butterfly garden is more than a flower bed. To attract butterflies
to your backyard, you need to provide more than just pollen. If you want a garden full of fluttering
monarchs, swallowtails, and fritillaries, follow these 10 tips for attracting butterflies to your
backyard.
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