[Pollinator] Earth Gauge Tip of the Week — Protecting Pollinators

[Ladadams at aol.com]

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Earth Gauge Tip of the Week — Protecting Pollinators 

6/19/2013 3:37:00 PM  
By _Earth Gauge_ 
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/biographies/earth-gauge.aspx)  
Tags: _weather_ (http://www.motherearthnews.com/search.aspx?tags=weather) , 
_pollinators_ (http://www.motherearthnews
.com/search.aspx?tags=+pollinators) ,  _wildlife_ (http://www.motherearthnews.com/search.aspx?tags=+wildlife) 
,  _Earth  Gauge_ 
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/search.aspx?tags=+Earth+Gauge)  
 
 
The next time you bite into a slice of melon or take a sip of coffee, think 
 about this: Worldwide, about 1000 plants used for food, beverages, spices, 
 fibers and medicines need to be pollinated by animals in order to grow the 
foods  and products we depend on.  About 75 percent of all plants, 
including those  in our yards, gardens and parks,  depend on pollinators. 
Pollinators –  hummingbirds, bats, beetles, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies and other 
small  animals – help plants reproduce by transporting pollen within a flower 
or  between flowers, resulting in healthy fruits and fertile seeds. 
Viewer Tip 
Home gardens in urban, suburban and rural areas can play an important role 
in  providing habitat for pollinators and protecting them from threats. 
During  National Pollinator Week, June 17-23, 2013, use these tips to create a  
pollinator-friendly garden habitat. 
• Plant a variety of plants that bloom from early spring to late fall.  
Planting in clumps will help pollinators find plants. Choose plants that are  
native to your region (find regional planting guides _here_ 
(http://pollinator.org/guides.htm) ), meaning that  they are adapted to local climate, soil 
and pollinator species. Including plants  that bloom at night will attract 
bats and moths. 
• Reduce or eliminate pesticide use. If you must use a pesticide in your 
yard  or garden, use the least toxic product possible. Pesticides can be 
particularly  harmful to bees, so read the product label carefully and apply it 
at night, when  bees and many other pollinators are not active. 
• Create bee habitat. Leaving a dead tree or tree limb in your yard 
provides  nesting habitat for bees (make sure dead trees/limbs are not safety 
hazards for  people working below them). You can also create a “_bee  condo_ 
(http://pollinator.org/PDFs/NPW/2012/BuildaBeeCondo.pdf) ” by drilling holes of 
various sizes about three to five inches deep in  a piece of scrap lumber. 
Mount the lumber to a post or under eaves with southern  exposure. 
• Provide nectar for hummingbirds. Make nectar by combining four parts 
water  to one part table sugar (do not use honey, artificial sweeteners or fruit 
 juices). Add something red to the feeder to attract hummingbirds, and be 
sure to  clean the feeder with hot, soapy water twice a week. 
• Learn more about pollinators. Visit _The  Pollinator Partnership_ 
(http://pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2013.htm)  website to learn more about 
National Pollinator Week,  get fast facts about pollinators, access garden guides 
and more.  
Photo courtesy of Rob Flynn, USDA. 
Sources: The Pollinator Partnership _Garden Guide for Pollinators_ 
(http://pollinator.org/PDFs/NPW/Garden%20Guide%20for%20Pollinators%20(3).pdf) , 
_Fast Facts for Gardeners_ 
(http://pollinator.org/PDFs/NPW/Pollination%20Fast%20Facts%20-%20Gardeners.pdf) .



Read more: 
http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/earth-gauge-protecting-pollinators-zbcz1306.aspx#ixzz2Wu1r7ccR
 
Laurie Davies  Adams
Executive Director
Pollinator Partnership
423 Washington St.  5th Fl.
San Francisco, CA 94111
T: 415.362.1137
F: 415.362.0176

Follow up on _Twitter_ (http://twitter.com/#!/Pollinators)  and _Facebook_ 
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pollinator-Partnership/48680445464) !
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