If you dread mowing the lawn, maybe you
should just give it up altogether next year. Native pollinator
insects — bees, butterflies and others — are declining
across the nation because of land-management practices that range
from vast single-crop farm fields to manicured urban lawns. This is
very bad news, because despite their tiny size, pollinator insects
are “keystone species” that help many plants
reproduce.
According to the Pollinator Conservation
Handbook, released in October by the Xerces Society and the Bee
Works, nectar-guzzlers also contribute, directly and indirectly, to
about $40 billion worth of agricultural products in the United
States every year. Apples, pumpkins, blueberries, the alfalfa that
feeds many beef and dairy cattle — all rely on the work of
pollinator insects.
The Handbook not only recommends
policy changes, such as increased pesticide regulation and smaller
controlled burns, but also tells how you can make your own backyard
pollinator-friendly.
You can order the book for $19.95
from the Xerces Society at 503-232-6639 or online at
www.xerces.org.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Bee kind, please redesign.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
