Here’s the buzz on making your yard a haven for pollinators (2024)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio’s native pollinators are crucial for sustaining our food supply and maintaining vibrant floral landscapes.

Following are some tips to help homeowners support the hundreds of pollinator species that call the Buckeye State home.

Lori Gogolin, a senior horticulturist at Holden Forests and Gardens, highlighted the diverse array of such pollinators.

“Bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, beetles and even bats all play vital roles in pollination,” Gogolin said.

Danae Wolfe, digital marketing manager for the Ohio branch of the Nature Conservancy, emphasized the region’s rich biodiversity, noting that Ohio is home to approximately 500 species of native bees and over 140 species of butterflies.

“Most people are likely familiar with the three Bs of the pollinator world -- bees, birds and butterflies -- but they may be less familiar with our more peculiar pollinators, which include flies, beetles, wasps, moths and even spiders,” Wolfe said.

“While bees have evolved certain physiological and behavioral traits that make them our most efficient pollinators, many insects spend their days moving from flower to flower in search of pollen, nectar or prey.

“Through this bloom-to-bloom movement, insects like hummingbird moths, hoverflies, paper wasps and jumping spiders inadvertently transfer pollen from one blossom to another.”

The importance of pollinators

Gogolin and Wolfe underscored the critical role pollinators play in our food systems.

“This movement of pollen creates fruit and seeds to be produced on the plant, which helps to feed us and other animals,” Gogolin said.

“According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food that we eat.

“Fruits, vegetables, chocolate, coffee, nuts and spices are just some of the foods produced from pollination.”

Wolfe, an expert in homegrown conservation, noted that in addition to about 35 percent of food crops, around 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants also rely on pollinators.

“The USDA estimates that this ecosystem service is valued at more than $18 billion in revenue to crop production alone in the U.S. every year,” Wolfe said.

“And pollination isn’t the only service these insects are contributing to our food production systems.

“Many pollinating insects -- like predatory wasps and hoverflies -- also aid in pest control, thereby reducing our reliance on chemical pesticides.

“Aside from their economic value, pollinators also bring beauty and biodiversity to our home gardens and communities,” Wolfe said.

“They uphold food webs through predator-prey relationships, and they are responsible for keeping our world abloom with a great diversity of flowering plants that are foundational to healthy ecosystems.”

Supporting pollinators in your yard

To support pollinators, Gogolin and Wolfe recommend planting their favorite foods.

“Ohio’s native pollinators have evolved with Ohio’s native plants, so planting native plants and native cultivars helps to give pollinators the most nutritious food,” Gogolin said.

“Organic backyard gardens are a great way to create a community of healthy pollinator habitat.”

The horticulturist suggested planting flowers that bloom from early spring to late fall, saying this ensures that pollinators always have food available.

Wolfe echoed Gogolin’s advice on planting native flowers in your yard or garden.

She also warned against using any chemical pesticides that may harm pollinators directly -- or indirectly by contaminating their food sources.

Wolfe noted that current research shows that insect populations have plummeted by roughly 40 percent in the last four decades.

“What’s more, scientists estimate that around one-third of insect species are endangered,” Wolfe said.

“But there are things Ohioans can do to help curb this decline.”

Wolfe said Ohioans can help pollinators by creating healthy habitats and nesting sites by “getting a little lazy with your landscaping.”

“Many insects overwinter in leaf litter, so let leaves naturally decompose where they fall, or rake them into an inconspicuous spot in your yard where they can be left over the winter,” Wolfe said.

“We’re also giving you permission to mow less frequently to allow lawn plants to flower. These flowering plants can provide important forage for bees and other pollinators.

“And the higher vegetation also benefits other beloved bugs in our landscape, like fireflies, which spend their days hanging out in tall grasses.”

Wolfe and Gogolin encourage Ohioans to get involved with local conservation organizations and volunteer efforts.

“Pollinators are critically important to the health of our planet,” Wolfe said.