Pollinator Week is here June 16–22! This week is all about celebrating the bees, butterflies, birds, bats, moths, and other amazing creatures that help keep our planet thriving. These animals aren’t just buzzing around aimlessly—they’re working hard to support our ecosystems, food production, and biodiversity.
In honor of Pollinator Week, Waste Free Society is diving into what makes pollinators so incredible, why they’re vital to a sustainable future, and how your family can take simple steps to protect them.
Why Pollinators Matter
Pollinators like bees and butterflies help plants reproduce by transferring pollen from one flower to another. Without them, many of our favorite foods and plants wouldn’t exist!
Here are just a few mind-blowing pollinator facts:
- Over 100 U.S. crops rely on pollinators for growth—including almonds, berries, melons, squash, and more.
- Pollinators add $18 billion in revenue to U.S. crop production each year.
- Honey bees are America’s primary commercial pollinator, and there are over 4,000 types of bees in the U.S.
- The total annual value of honey bee products and services is around $700 million.
- The USDA plays a key role in supporting pollinator health, conservation, and sustainable food production.
10 Fascinating Pollinator Facts
- Bees Can Sense Electricity
Bees use their tiny hairs to detect the electric fields of flowers, helping them choose the best ones to pollinate. - Hummingbirds Are Trapliners
These speedy birds follow a “mail route” of flowers every day to gather nectar—keeping ecosystems in balance. - Some Butterflies Remember Specific Flowers
Heliconius butterflies use memory to return to the best nectar spots—an amazing feat during their long migrations. - Orchid Bees Make Perfume
Male orchid bees collect scents from flowers to create their own unique perfume used to attract mates. - Some Orchids Fake Being Female Insects
Orchids attract male pollinators by mimicking female insects in scent and shape—a clever trick to spread pollen! - Flowers Use Heat to Attract Pollinators
Flowers emit heat signals that help pollinators “see” which plants offer the best pollen or nectar. - Bees Dance When They Find Nectar
When bees discover a great nectar source, they break into a happy “waggle dance” to tell their hive where it is. - Flowers “Sing” Ultrasonic Songs
Some flowers emit vibrations that bees can sense with their hair—letting them know when it’s time to pollinate. - Honey Tastes Different Around the World
Stingless tropical bees make rare honey that tastes citrusy or herbal and has been used for centuries in medicine. - Pollinators Make Rainforests Possible
A whopping 75–80% of rainforest plants rely on pollinators. Without them, tropical forests couldn’t survive.
5 Books About Pollinators & Pollination
Looking for more ways to teach your kids about pollinators or deepen your own knowledge? Check out our favorite books on bees, butterflies, birds, and pollinator-friendly gardening:
1. Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber Illustrated by Brian Lovelock
2. The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller
3. Protect the Pollinators by Rachael Rose Zoller
4. A Garden to Save the Birds by Wendy McClure Illustrated by Beatriz Mayumi
5. Follow that Bee! A First Book of Bees in the City by Scot Ritchie
What Can Families Do to Help Pollinators?
Living a sustainable, pollinator-friendly lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated! Here are easy actions your household can take:
- Plant native flowers and pollinator-friendly plants.
- Avoid pesticides and choose organic gardening practices.
- Provide water sources like shallow dishes with pebbles.
- Leave patches of wild garden or dead wood for nesting.
- Buy local honey and support small-scale beekeepers.
- Build bee hotels or bat houses in your yard.
- Spread the word during Pollinator Week and all year long!
Celebrate Sustainability with Pollinator Week
Pollinators are essential to a healthy, sustainable future. From the fruit on your table to the flowers in your garden, we have these creatures to thank. Let’s do our part to keep their populations strong and thriving; not just this week, but all year long. Check out pollinator.org to learn more!
Waste Free Society is on a mission to make sustainable living accessible to everyone. Through our Waste Free Certification program, we offer compost pickup services for businesses ready to go green. Our Waste Free Academy hosts hands-on workshops in composting, gardening, art, and sustainability for kids and adults alike. Join us at our Second Saturday Market for community compost drop-off, thrifting, and more ways to live waste free.
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