Bee Pollination in Gardens: Importance and Benefits

1. Kelly Allsup Horticulture Extension Educator serving Livingston, McLean and Woodford Counties http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/ kallsup@illinois.edu Flowers, Fruits and Frass Blog http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lmw/eb255 Livingston, McLean and Woodford Master Gardenerson Facebook

2. POLLEN • The male reproductive structure is called the stamen. It is composed of the filament and the anther. Pollen develops within the anther. • Pollen consists of proteins, starch, sugars, fats, minerals, vitamins and free amino acids. • Bees collect pollen to feed their larvae.

3. POLLEN • When the bee goes to get nectar they trigger the male structures hence getting pollen on themselves. • Bees tend to confine their attention to a single flower species when foraging. • They will move from plant to plant within that species hence favoring cross-pollination. • Chemistry plays a role in pollination: bees are positively charged while flowers pollinated by bees have negatively charged pollen

4. Bees

5. Flowers that Attract Bees • Bee pollinated flowers tend to be brightly colored in the shades of blues, yellows and ultraviolet. • Fruits-apple, blackberry, peach, pear, plum, raspberry and blueberry • Vegetables- cucumber, squash, pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, eggplant and potato • Herbs- basil, chives, oregano, marjoram, mint, lavender, rosemary and thyme • Annuals- cleome, cosmos, lantana, snapdragons, sunflowers, verbena and zinnias • Spring/Summer Perennials-, agastache, baptisia, chelone, coneflower, columbine, caryopteris, catmint, coral bells, coreopsis, echinops, fox glove, grape hyacinth, liatris, penstemon, rock cress, salvia, sedum, verbascum and yarrow • Fall Perennials- aster, eupatorium, monkshood and solidago

6. Ultraviolet

7. Nectar Guides “Landing Platforms”

8. University of Illinois Pollinatarium http://www.life.illinois.edu/pollinatarium