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The Lifesaving Role of Pollinators: Here’s How to Protect Them

The Lifesaving Role of Pollinators- Here’s How to Protect ThemA butterfly in your yard is one of thousands of pollinator species that keep New Mexico’s ecosystems (and our food systems) thriving. Photo: Scott Baxter 

As many as 2,000 pollinator species live in New Mexico, including 300 butterfly species and 1,400 bee species. Moths, beetles, flies, wasps, bats, and hummingbirds also contribute to pollination. The survival of most flowering species of plants and trees depends on pollinators. Over 70% of our favorite foods are pollinated by bees. Some pollinators also serve as biological “pest” control: a ladybug can eat 5,000 aphids in their lifetime, and wasps keep caterpillars and flies in check.

The Lifesaving Role of Pollinators: Here’s How to Protect ThemMany insects, including pollinators, take refuge in the various plant material and soil in our yards for the winter. Bees nest in stalks and stems, bumblebees in loose soil, butterflies in bark and dead wood, and invertebrates of all life stages shelter in leaf litter. Cleaning up your garden too soon in the spring risks disturbing these vital habitats and harming or killing our best allies. Please don’t clean up dry plant material or till your soil until overnight temperatures are reliably above 50F (10C) for at least a week.

The Lifesaving Role of Pollinators: Here’s How to Protect Them

Here are more tips on how to be a friend to pollinators:

  • Grow native flowering plants. Skip mowing your lawn to allow wildflowers to emerge.
  • You may see tiny holes popping up in late spring. These are the dwellings of wild bees. Please leave these underground nests alone. Most of these bees live alone and don’t sting.
  • Pesticides and insecticides make pollen and nectar toxic to pollinators. Avoid common garden sprays containingneonicotinoids.
  • Avoid pesticides and instead use soap sprays, essential oils, or vinegar (apply early mornings or late evenings).
  • Plant nectar-rich tubular flowers that hummingbirds like, such as penstemon, flowering sage, red yucca, and yarrow.
  • If you have a hummingbird feeder, use refined white sugar (mix 1 part sugar for 4 parts water). Never use honey, corn syrup, molasses, powdered sugar, brown or raw or unprocessed sugars, and don’t use any dyes, as they are toxic to hummingbirds.
  • Bee swarms are generally harmless: In the spring bees may swarm to establish a new colony. It’s best to leave the swarm alone. You can report a bee swarm at abqbeeks.org