Meet the pollinators waking up for spring

In addition to melting snow, running sap and mud puddles, a sure sign of spring is the sight of some of our pollinators coming out of winter dormancy or hibernation.

When we think of pollinators, we might think especially of animals like honey bees or Monarch butterflies, but there are other animals that also pollinate. Many pollinators are insects, like some beetles, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths and bees.

In addition to honey bees - which are not native to, or originally from, North America - Iowa is home to over 300 species of native bees that help pollinate many different things from flowers in gardens to crops to native wildflowers and plants.

Animals like bees pollinate plants when they visit flowers to drink the sweet sugary liquid, called nectar, inside. While drinking nectar, they also pick up pollen and help spread it from one flower to the next. When plants' flowers are pollinated, they are able to create seeds and reproduce.

Both honey bees and native bee species are insects, so they share some key characteristics:

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Three main body parts called the head, thorax and abdomen

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Six legs attached to the thorax

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Four clear wings attached to the thorax

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Both are part a group or order of insects scientists call hymenopterans, which means 'membrane wing”

However, many native bee species do not live in a hive with thousands of other bees, like honey bees do. Many native bees species are solitary or live alone and may nest underground.

Bumble bees are one group of native bees that also live in hives, but often only the queen bumble bee overwinters by herself. She then has to restart a new colony by herself in the springtime.

How to help the rusty patched bumble bee and other pollinators

Iowa is home to a federally endangered species of bumble bee, called the rusty patched bumble bee, that is protected and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Rusty patched bumble bees primarily live in prairies or areas with lots of tall grass and flowers and not very many trees. Some of the reasons they were listed as an endangered species include prairie habitats being lost or destroyed and pesticide use.

To help rusty patched bumble bees and other important pollinators, there are a few different things you can do.

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Celebrate and learn more about bees and other pollinators that live near you. You might do that by creating art inspired by pollinators and their homes, or by taking a closer look the next time you head outside to see what you can find.

Most bees want to find flowers with good nectar and pollen and can be safe to observe as long as you stay calm, quiet and still. If you get scared and run or move quickly, that sometimes makes the bees scared, too, and more likely to sting you in defense.

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While some pollinators prefer native habitats like prairies and woods, you can also find them in gardens, lawns and neighborhoods. You might even try to further help create some pollinator habitat around your home, school or neighborhood by planting native plant species or asking your grown-ups to limit their use of pesticides in lawn or garden areas.

3.

Later this summer, in July, keep learning about pollinators by visiting the Indian Creek Nature Center for Monarch Fest to celebrate another important insect species: Monarch butterflies!

Located in Cedar Rapids, Indian Creek Nature Center is Iowa's first and only privately owned and operated nonprofit nature center. With 500 acres of land under its management, the Nature Center hosts thousands of visitors each year for nature-based programs and activities. ICNC's mission is to promote a sustainable future by nurturing individuals through environmental education, providing leadership in land protection and restoration, and encouraging responsible interaction with nature.