As beautiful as the flowers are and how much fun it is to watch the bees and butterflies and other insects fly from flower to flower, we must remember that they are doing a very important job as pollinators. Pollination is the movement of pollen from the male part (anther) of one flower to the female part (pistil) of another flower. This is required for the flower to make seeds and fruits. Some plants such as grasses, grains and conifers are wind pollinated, but 75% of plants rely on animal pollinators. A study at Cornell University estimates that insect pollinators contribute about $29 billion annually to the US farm income by pollinating 58 different crops grown as food crops. They also ensure seeds and fruits for flowers and woody plants that are important food sources for about 25% of birds and other animals. Some scientists estimate that one in three bites of food we eat go back to the role of pollinators
