pollinators


Here at Water Rocks!, we think pollinators are the bee’s knees! Between 75-95% of plants globally require help with pollination. Animal pollinators help move pollen from plant-to-plant (allowing plants to reproduce, producing fruits and seeds), in turn providing much of our food supply, supporting clean air, reducing erosion, and providing habitat for wildlife.

The relationship between pollinators and plants is a mutualism—a relationship between species where each one helps the other. Pollinators get food (nectar) and plants get pollinated—it’s a win-win!

One out of every 3 bites of food is made possible through the work of pollinators. Plants need pollination to reproduce, and a variety of creatures help get the job done, from bees and wasps, to butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, and more. Pollinators come in every shape and size, and are found all over the world. But they have one thing in common: they are all facing decline due to numerous environmental factors. Now is the time to focus on pollinators and how to help protect them!


Video Resources

Please the Bees

Monarch Milkweed Magic

Buzzy Bizzy Bees

Unraveling the Great Butterfly Migration Mystery (PBS Digital Studios)

Enhanced Learning Activities

Bees vs. Frogs (Grades K-5)

Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination – Smithsonian in Your Classroom (Grades 4-9)

Additional Resources

Bats: The Unsung Heroes of Plant Pollination – Bat Conservation International

Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees – USDA Forest Service & Pollinator Partnership

Create Your Garden – Blank Park Zoo

Farming for Pollinators – The Xerces Society

Pollinator Page – Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Learning Center – Pollinator Partnership