We can thank pollinators for at least every third bite of food we eat. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants and 35% of our food crops rely on animal pollinators to reproduce (MT NRCS). They’re essential not only for fruits and vegetables, but also for crops that provide us with spices, medicines, raw materials, and even fabrics.
Beyond their agricultural role, pollinators help maintain plant biodiversity, prevent erosion, and improve water quality. Without them, plant communities would suffer—leading to ripple effects across entire ecosystems and our food systems.
A disheveled Hunt’s bumblebee (Bombus huntii), missing an antenna and pieces of two wings, resting on a blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)
Aaron Clausen
A honey bee on an aster flower.
ELIZABETH