U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Attracting Pollinators 

to Your Garden
Wild Cherries

Carolina Rose

Thistle Seeds

Wild Stawberries

Elderberry

Blue Berries

Sunflower Seeds

Why are Pollinators Important?

• Pollinators are nearly as important as sunlight, soil and water to the 

reproductive success of over 75% of the world’s flowering plants. 

• They are crucial to the production of most fruits, nuts, and berries 

on which people and wildlife depend. 

• Over 150 food crops in the United States depend on pollinators, 

including blueberries, apples, oranges, squash, tomatoes and almonds. 
What is Pollination?

 

Pollination occurs when pollen grains from a flower’s male parts 

(anthers) are moved to the female part (stigma) of the same species. 

Once on the stigma, the pollen grain grows a tube that runs down the 

style to the ovary, where fertilization occurs, producing seeds. 

Most plants depend on pollinators to move the pollen from one flower to 

the next, while others rely on wind or water to move pollen. 

Plants produce nectar to attract pollinators. As the pollinator moves 

from flower to flower collecting nectar, they are also moving pollen from 

flower to flower. Certain fruits and seeds will not be produced if their 

flowers are not pollinated.

Worldwide there are more than 100,000 different animal species that 

pollinate plants. Insects are the most common pollinators, but as 

many as 1,500 species of vertebrates also help pollinate plants.

ovule

ovary

style

stigma

petal

anther

pistil

filament

stamen
Meet the Pollinators 

Hummingbirds are attracted to scarlet, 

orange, red or white tubular-shaped flowers 

with no distinct odors.

Bats are attracted to dull white, green or 

purple flowers that emit strong, musty 

odors at night.

Bees are attracted to bright white, yellow 

or blue flowers and flowers with contrasting 

ultraviolet patterns that have fresh, mild or 

pleasant odors.

 A Good Pollinator:

•	 Is highly mobile 

and can travel 

from flower to 

flower. Moving 

pollen from 

flowers on one 

plant to another 

plant (rather 

than on the same 

plant) is called 

cross-pollination. 

Plants resulting 

from crosspollination have 

greater genetic 

diversity and 

are more capable 

of withstanding 

environmental 

change. 

•	 Has hairs, scales 

or feathers. 

Pollen grains 

from one flower 

get caught in the 

hairs, scales, and 

feathers then are 

brushed off on 

another flower 

as the pollinator 

moves from plant 

to plant collecting 

nectar. 

•	 Has specialized 

mouth parts for 

collecting nectar 

from the plants it 

visits.

Raspberry

Bumble bee

Saguaro cactus

Ruby throated hummingbird

Trumpet 

honeysuckle

Lesser 

long-nosed 

bat
Flies are attracted to green, white or 

cream flowers with little odor or dark 

brown and purple flowers that have 

putrid odors.

 

Butterflies are attracted to bright red 

and purple flowers with a faint but fresh 

odor.

The hummingbird moth is active during 

the day however most moths are active 

at night and are attracted to pale red, 

purple, pink or white flowers that emit a 

strong, sweet odor at night. 

Beetles are attracted to white or green 

flowers with odors ranging from none to 

strongly fruity or foul.

Pollinators in Peril!

Pollinator 

populations are 

declining. The most 

probable causes 

include:

•		Habitat	loss,		

 fragmentation 

 and degradation 

 (including the 

 introduction and 

 spread of invasive

 plant species)

•		Misuse	of	pesticides

•		Disease,	including		

 parasites carried 

 to the U.S. on 

 introduced species

Hover fly

 (flower fly)

Daisy

Monarch butterfly

Butterfly 

milkweed

Dense	

blazing 

star

Soldier beetle

American 

black 

elderberry

Hummingbird 

moth
What You Can Do for Pollinators 

Plant a garden using native flowering 

plants: 

 

• Choose a variety of colors and shapes that will attract a 

variety of pollinators

• Choose plants that flower at different times providing 

nectar and pollen sources throughout the growing season.

• Plant in clumps rather than single plants to better 

attract pollinators

For more information: http://pollinator.org/guides.htm
Provide habitat for nesting and egg-laying, 

such as: 

 • 

Shrubs, tall grasses, and low-growing plants 

• Patches of fallen branches and brush

• Small patches of bare ground

• Bee nesting block

For more information: http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/PollinatorPages/

YourHelp.html#bee

Avoid or limit pesticide use: • For natural pest control provide a diverse 

garden habitat with a variety of plant 

sizes, heights, and types to encourage beneficial 

insects

• Expect and accept a little bit of pest activity 

• Try removing pests by hand (wearing garden gloves)

• If you must use a pesticide, choose one that is the 

least toxic to non-pest species, does not persist on 

vegetation, and apply it in the evening when 

most pollinators are not as active 

For more information: http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/PollinatorPages/

YourHelp.html#pesticide
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/

1/800 344 WILD

August 2011

Item # FW 7005

All Illustrations by

USFWS/Tim Knepp