Approximately how many animal species act as pollinators worldwide?
Answer: 200,000
Honeybees may get all the glory, but they are far from the only species contributing to the fertilization of our plants! It’s estimated that around 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators around the world. Bees are the most common – all kinds of them! – but other animals pulling their weight as pollinators include butterflies, moths, birds, beetles, ants, flies, and even some small mammals.
The process is simple: animals visit a pollinating flower, then they transfer that pollen to another flower. Oftentimes, these pollinators are on the hunt for food, such as flower nectar, leading them to move from one flower to another, picking up and transferring pollen as they go.
But besides aesthetics, why is pollination so important? Well, pollination doesn’t just help flowers — it’s estimated that over three-quarters of the crops humans eat rely on pollination! So the next time you sit down for a meal, send out a quick thank you to the pollinators who helped get it there.
While ridding the entire world of pollen would have detrimental effects, ridding it from your home is perfectly safe for you and our pollinator friends. Get in touch with Joel Smith Heating and Air Conditioning today at (763) 792-1066 to see how a whole home air cleaner can help keep pollen out of your home where it belongs.