Insects and pollinators

In short: Bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects pollinate plants. About three out of four crop plants benefit from animal pollination.

In more detail: When visiting flowers, insects carry pollen from bloom to bloom. This enables fertilisation, fruit and seeds.

In detail

• Wild bees: Germany has about 560 species, many nest in the ground or deadwood. Not only the honey bee pollinates.
• Decline: Habitat loss, pesticides, monocultures and climate change hit insects hard.
• Helping in the garden: Native flowering plants, little mowing, deadwood and sandy patches, no insecticides.
• Insect hotels: Useful only if built cleanly, with hardwood and smooth tunnels.
• Season: Late-flowering plants fill gaps in the food supply (biodiversitaet-und-artenvielfalt).