Powerful Pollinators

Close up of a bee on a flower surrounded by a cloud of pollenAccording to the U.S. Forest Service, pollination “is an essential survival function.” Pollinators help plants reproduce by drinking nectar or feeding off of pollen from flowers and then transporting pollen grains as they move from one area to another. We can thank pollinators for approximately one out of every three bites of food! It is well known that insects such as bees, butterflies, and moths are common pollinators, but birds and mammals (including hummingbirds, fruit bats, and opossums), serve as pollinators as well. June has been designated National Pollinators Month to draw attention to these important creatures and the role they have in sustaining life on this planet. Now is the time to honor the precious pollinators of the world; learn more by reading some of the pollinator-related books (both print and electronic) available through the Hatfield Library and listed on our WU Reads Reading Guide.

For additional information on pollinators, check out these sites:

U.S. Forest Service–Pollinators

Pollinator Partnership

Handle a book as a bee does a flower, extract its sweetness but do not damage it! – John Muir