Are you aware that pollinators are responsible for over one third of all the food
that we ... There are probably around 200 species in Houston and its surrounding
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Hello and welcome to the Houston Zoo’s pollinator page! Here you’ll find all kinds of information about this amazing group of animals: who they are, why they need our protection and what YOU can do to help. Pollinator FAQ What is a pollinator? A pollinator is an animal that transports pollen from one plant to another – as plants cannot walk, run or fly, this is an extremely valuable service! Without pollinators, most plants would not be able to reproduce. What types of animals pollinate plants? A wide variety of animals do – the majority of pollinators are insects (beetles, flies, butterflies and the most expert of them all – bees!). Birds and bats are also pollinators along with a few lizards, slugs and even a lemur! Are you aware that pollinators are responsible for over one third of all the food that we eat? Without pollinators, our plant friends could not provide us with most of your favorite fruits and veggies, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cotton… or the alfalfa that helps cows provide milk (so no cheese, butter, ice cream!). Of all pollinating animals, bees are the most efficient by far and help us pollinate the majority of our food crops. Did you know there are over 4,000 species of bee in North America alone? There are probably around 200 species in Houston and its surrounding counties. How many have you seen in your backyard? Not much is known about the bees that live in our area, but that is starting to change. We are conducting photo surveys of bees around the Houston Zoo to see what species we have and what time of year they are seen. We have a fairly long “bee season” compared to the rest of the US – native bees are active here from late January until the end of October (or later!). Honeybees can be active year-round, depending on the temperature. So why are pollinators so important, anyway? The answer to this question is extremely complex, but here is the nutshell version: The Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems are based on plants – plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, producing food for all land animals both directly and indirectly. Some animals depend on plants (or the fruits and seeds they bear) for food… those animals are in turn eaten by other animals, and so on through the food web. Pollinators are animals that have a special relationship with plants, providing a valuable service - carrying pollen to others plants of the same species, allowing them to create seeds for the next generation. For their hard work, these animals are rewarded with nectar and nutrient-dense pollen. Flowering plants and their respective pollinators cannot exist without each other, and the rest of us cannot survive without them. It is in everybody’s best interest to protect pollinators and their habitats!
The BUZZ about native bees! We are all familiar with the European honeybee (which is introduced, by the way) but how many other species of bee call North America home? 10? 20? Nope – there are almost 4,500 species of native bee in our part of the world! But why have most people never seen these bees? Our native bees are very different from honeybees in appearance and behavior, but are easy to spot and observe if you know what to look for… Honeybees are social animals, much like people. Each hive has a queen, drones (males), and different types of workers: for example, some forage for food, some have nursery duty, and some protect the hive from intruders. All workers are the queen’s daughters and all individuals work together for the good of the hive. Our native bees are solitary (with the exception of bumblebees). Each female collects pollen and nectar for her young and for herself – you may find females foraging on flowers together or even nesting in the same general areas together, but they are on their own. Since they have no hive to defend and really only have to worry about their own personal safety, these bees are not aggressive. They are fairly shy and sometimes it takes quite a bit of patience to observe them, but you can find native bees just about anywhere you find flowers. The best way to attract bees to your yard is by creating a garden for them – you will increase your bee diversity by providing nesting areas in your new bee habitat. Most of our native bees nest in the ground, so all they need is a sparsely-planted, sunny area with bare soil and no mulch. The others nest in pre-existing holes, such as those made by wood-boring beetles in an old tree stump – some even use hollow or pithy plant stems. Learn more about what goes on inside these nests! Wooden nest boxes for bees are easy to make – there are many designs online and you can be very creative. As long as you use untreated wood and drill holes of particular diameters and depths, the bees will appreciate your efforts. You can even bundle hollow reeds or bamboo stems together and put them in a sheltered place to see what species you attract. If you are particularly proud of a bee house you’ve made, submit your photos to us!
Want to help with the Zoo’s native bee conservation project? We are looking for nature lovers to participate in our SE Texas bee survey! It’s easy to be a part of our project,… all you need is a camera and a little patience. We need documentation of bee species in any part of Houston and the surrounding areas – your photos can be taken in your yard, at work, in a state park, anywhere you see bees. We need the following information submitted with each photograph: the county, city, and specific location (Brazos Bend SP, plantings around Pappasitos Cantina, your backyard) and the date the photo was taken. We would also welcome any other info you wish to provide, such as: weather conditions; behavior; number of individuals seen visiting similar flowers; names (or photos) of plants that seem to attract multiple bees, etc.
Bees need our help! Alarming rates of habitat loss combined with the rampant use of chemical pesticides in agriculture and even by homeowners, bees are in big trouble. As mentioned before, bee-pollinated plants provide us with every third bite of food we eat… it is certainly in our best interest to take care of ALL of our bees, honeybees and native bees alike. But what can you do? •
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Write your government officials demanding sustainable farming practices – systemic pesticides are the probable cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (the mass disappearance of worker honeybees from a hive) and have caused a sharp decline in honeybee populations in the US and around the world. You can watch the critically acclaimed documentary, "The Vanishing of the Bees" for more information. Buy organic! 95% of our food crops are treated with pesticides – these fruits, vegetables and grains may be a little cheaper than their organic counterparts at the grocery store, but there are hidden costs with “cheap food” like health risks to you and your family, and environmental damage that negatively affects all of us. Frequent your local Houston Farmer’s Market for great organic produce! Create a bee-friendly garden and provide nesting habitat for native bees. Its inexpensive and a great way to get in touch with nature for both kids and adults. Learn all you can about our fascinating native bees and spread the word to friends and neighbors - every little bit of habitat helps!
Want to start your own conservation project at home? The unfortunate truth is that pollinator habitat is quickly disappearing across the globe… In Texas alone, 95% of prairie lands that were once home for an astounding number of plant and animal species have now been developed for human use. But there is something you can do to help… most of our pollinator friends will readily occupy any suitable habitat so you can help by planting a pollinator friendly garden at home, school or even work - every little bit of habitat helps! Be sure to incorporate some of our beautiful native TX wildflowers in the garden and create your own slice of prairie. You can even volunteer to restore prairie habitat in larger areas with local organizations. There are helpful links at the bottom of the page. Plant a pollinator friendly garden! You can help our native bees simply by making your yard pollinator-friendly! Make a bee habitat by planting native flowers and shrubs and adding nesting areas, which could be as simple as making nesting blocks or bare ground. With a pollinator-friendly yard, you provide food and shelter for an enormous number of insect and other animal species. The more biodiversity your yard has, the less pest problems you will experience. This is good since chemical pesticides of any kind have no place in the pollinatorfriendly garden – birds and predator insects will take care of all your pests free of charge! You can also visit our wildlife friendly yard webpage for other tips. Gardening for pollinators is easy, fun and rewarding. It allows you to stay in touch with nature and you’ll get satisfaction that you are doing your part to help those that help us so much, from early emerging mason bees to migrating monarchs and hummingbirds. In Houston, our growing season is long so you will have a yard full of lovely flowers for most of the year. There are three general rules to follow when pollinator gardening:
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Diversify: Plant a wide variety of plants that provide nectar and pollen –some plants flower all season long, but make sure you also include early and late blooming species so that you have a variety of plants blooming from springtime to the first winter frost. Ornamental plants work well, but consider adding native trees, shrubs and wildflowers to the garden. Native plants are best suited for giving our native pollinators what they need to thrive. Here are some favorite natives for Houston! Provide Habitat: A varied, densely planted garden will provide shelter for birds, lizards, frogs and toads… but what about expert pollinators such as native bees? Add bee nesting areas to your garden, its easy, inexpensive, and a fun project the whole family can participate in. See this native bee nest area page for more information. Ditch the Pesticides: Chemical pesticides are a major cause of pollinator population declines. Many are harmful to non-target animals, your family, your pets and the environment in general. Work with the Earth using biodiversity - the more diverse your pollinator garden is, the fewer pest problems you will have.* A garden packed with flowering plants and trees acts as a beacon to the “good guys” (insectivores) – they do a great job keeping pest insects in check.
*In Texas, we have an exception – the ubiquitous fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Since this species is introduced in the US, it has no natural predators and can take over your yard in a matter of days. Not only do these ants sting your loved ones, they also decrease garden diversity by killing and consuming anything they can overwhelm (earthworms, beetles, toads, fledgling birds, basically anything on the ground). There is no doubt that these ants should be eliminated from your garden, but be careful to do so with minimal harm to other creatures. Be pest free with biodiversity! If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos. E. O. Wilson Many people don’t appreciate insects as much as they should… but insects are an incredibly diverse and fascinating group of animals. We are also more dependent on them than most people realize. Did you know there are over 1,000,000 described species of insect with estimates of 5 to 9 million left to describe? Out of all of these, relatively few are considered pests by humans. Nonetheless, we’ve all experienced insect pests in our gardens – but who wants to use chemical pesticides when they can harm our families, pets, wildlife and our planet? There is an environmentally-friendly way to keep pests at bay… Biodiversity! Put simply, the more species of plants you have in your garden, the more attractive it is to “pest” predators like birds, lizards, frogs, toads and insect-eating insects (ladybugs, lacewings, dragonflies, assassin bugs and wasps to name a few). With this method of planting you work with Mother Nature, not against her. You will also notice that your pollinator population will soar – if you have fruit trees or a vegetable garden, get ready for a bumper crop... pollinators (especially bees) increase fruit and veggie productivity tremendously. Learn more: Texas Bee Watchers Xerces Society Pollinator Partnership
Bug guide Harris Co. beekeepers assn. USDA Forest Service www.xerces.org www.pollinator.org www.beewatchers.com http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/ http://www.katyprairie.org/index.html http://www.vanishingbees.com/ Thank you to our generous sponsors:
