The Lions Club of Kingsville focuses on the environment as one of its areas of service. This month, we focus on the importance of pollinators.

Saving Pollinators

Why are pollinators so important?

Bees, butterflies, moths, fireflies and hummingbirds are some of our precious pollinators. Since plants cannot move themselves from one place to another, they need pollinators to bring pollen from one plant to another. Our pollinators are important to the environment because if we did not have them, we would not have food. We cannot exist without them.

Why are they disappearing?

Pesticide sprays are a major factor. For instance, mosquito sprays don’t just kill off mosquitos, they also harm our pollinators and food chains. Not only are pollinators affected by the drowsiness and sickness the sprays cause, but they also lose their homes.

Farmers’ fields get sprayed for pests but so do many of our own backyards. Spraying your backyard to kill mosquitoes also harms beneficial insects and area wildlife. Bees, fireflies, hummingbirds and even our native Monarch butterflies are being killed or adversely affected.

Instead, consider cultivating plants in your yard that repel mosquitoes. This group includes citronella grass (lemongrass), marigolds, basil, lavender and mint.

What You Need to Know Before Spraying for Mosquitoes

How can we help pollinators in an eco-friendly way?

Fortunately there are a number of things we can do to create havens for pollinators.

–  Spread awareness to others

–  Plant milkweed

–  Avoid spraying pesticides in backyards

–  Educate ourselves and friends about how we can help

–  Cut back the size of lawns

–  Plant more flowers

Protecting Monarch Butterflies:

Milkweed will attract Monarchs, since milkweed is their only source of food. A great start to saving the Monarchs specifically, is to join the Facebook group Monarch Butterfly Enthusiasts of Windsor and Essex County

Protecting Bees:

According to Saving Pollinators, One Garden at a Time, most native bees are solitary and lay eggs in tiny tunnels in dead trees, fallen branches, hollow stems, or in bare patches of sandy soil. Where safe, leave dead trees standing and fallen logs in place.

Save The Bees – Supporting Beekeeping and Research

Bees in sunflower image by Didgeman from Pixabay
Butterflies image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay