Cochise County Master Gardeners

Pollinators are animals that move pollen from flower to flower. This is important because without the movement of pollen, reproduction could not occur. Pollen is moved from the male part of the flower (anther) to the female part of the flower (stigma). Animals do not consciously pollinate, they visit flowers looking for nectar and transfer pollen stuck to their bodies as they move from flower to flower. Many insects also consume pollen. This relationship has evolved over 144 million years and most plants need to be pollinated to produce flowers, fruits and seeds. Animal pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, bats and birds. In other countries, animals such as monkeys and rodents can even serve as pollinators. One third of human food crops such as cucumber, melons, tomatoes, almonds, onions and strawberries are pollinated by animals. Thanks to pollinators, 10 billion dollars in crops are produced in the US every year. They are also responsible for 60-80 percent of the pollination in non-food flowering plants such as wildflowers and native trees.