We all know how important bees are to the food system, but theyâre not the only important pollinators. Here are 10 creatures essential to pollination (read: they keep us alive).
Despite their tiny size, bees are fierce. They pack one heck of a sting, yes⊠But, the world would be very different (and in big trouble) without these little pollinators.
In fact, the buzzing insects are to thank for much of the worldâs food crops. Pollinationâthe act of transferring pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part so that it can reproduceâis incredibly important to the overall health of the worldâs food system.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, insects such as bees pollinate roughly 35 percent of the worldâs food cropsâincluding fruits and vegetables.
Theyâre also responsible for pollinating about 75 percent of the worldâs flowering plants. (A single bee colony can pollinate about 300 million flowers in just one day!)
But bees arenât the only pollinators. A number of other insects partake in the act of pollination, too. Even certain mammals take part (you wonât believe #9, above).
In fact, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are more than 100,000 different animal species that play a role in pollinating all of the worldâs plants. Here are some of the worldâs most unique pollinators.
Source: Livekindly.co
