Photo: Dan Mushrush copyright 2001

They're often taken for granted, but they are more important than most of us realize. Pollinators — bees, hummingbirds, moths, bats, butterflies, and beetles — are vital to the health of ecosystems and to the production of many of the crops that support our very existence. Without them, most flowering plants couldn't produce fruits and seeds to create the next generation. No bananas. No apples. No chocolate!

To compete for the attention of pollinators, flowers have evolved ingenious methods to entice them to their sugar-filled nectar and protein- and vitamin-rich pollen. In exchange, the unsuspecting creatures inadvertently act as pollen-carrying liaisons between blooms that would otherwise never touch.

The amazing diversity of flowers results from their unique adaptations to lure a range of pollinators (or to ensure that the wind carries pollen). Every aspect of a flower, from the designs on its petals to the timing of its blooming, is vital to the process.

Consider inviting your youngsters to train their eyes on flowers and pollinators to explore who visits whom (and why) and the clever adaptations that makes these fascinating partnerships work. They might also find out why many scientists are concerned about our role in weakening pollinator/plant relationships, and become inspired to create their own alluring garden oasis.

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