How many pollinators do you see?

On May 8, 2014, more than 10,697 people joined the University of California in a one-day science project and counted the number of pollinators they saw in a 3-minute time period.

This information will help create a clearer picture of pollinator populations across California and give us a better understanding of where these vital animals thrive.

Bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds and bats help plants reproduce by carrying pollen from one flower to another. The pollination process helps produce beautiful landscapes and the bounty of fruits, nuts and vegetables we all enjoy.

Right now, honey bee and other pollinator populations are being threatened by a number of factors including disease, mites, and loss of habitat and food sources.

Did you see bees and other pollinators in your own neighborhood? Were there flowering plants in your garden, park, school or community?

Did you know…

• Three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators
• 35% of the food we eat depends on pollination by bees
• There are 25,000 different species of bees
• 1.6 million colonies of honey bees are needed to pollinate California’s 800,000 acres of almond trees.
• Honey bees will fly up to 4 miles from the hive to collect water, nectar and pollens.

Common Pollinators

When looking at a flower, how often do you consider the importance of these unsung heroes? Yet the pollination process helps produce beautiful landscapes and the bounty of fruits, nuts and vegetables we all enjoy.

Click on a photo to get a closer look at one of a common pollinator.