Insects do by far the most pollination, especially in temperate lands. They visit countless flowers every day while feeding on nectar and pollen.c “Probably the most important contribution made by insects to human health and well-being,” explains Professor May Berenbaum, “is one for which they get little credit: pollination.”

The Pollinators

FLIES AND BEETLES

These are some of the unsung heroes of pollination. If you enjoy chocolate, you can thank a tiny fly that does the vital job of pollinating the flowers of the cacao tree.

BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS

These attractive insects depend largely on nectar for food, picking up pollen as they fly from one flower to another. Some beautiful orchids depend entirely on moths for successful pollination.

BEES AND WASPS

The hairy bodies of bees pick up pollen as readily as a pair of spectacles picks up dust, making bees ideal pollinators. Just one bumblebee can carry as many as 15,000 grains of pollen. Thanks to the introduction of bumblebees from England in the 19th century, clover fields now flourish in New Zealand, providing vital forage for the country’s livestock.

The honeybee is the world’s most important pollinator. It usually concentrates on only one type of flower abundant near its hive. Entomologist Christopher O’Toole calculates that “as much as 30 per cent of all human food is directly or indirectly dependent on pollination by bees.” Bees are needed to pollinate such crops as almonds, apples, plums, cherries, and kiwis. Farmers pay the beekeepers for the services each hive provides.