Pollinators: Garden Allies

It's that time of year! Autumn, the glorious season of vibrant vegetables and fruits that are ready to be harvested for delectable dishes. From vibrant members of the Squash family: Pumpkins, Butternut and Delicata, to tart and fresh apples & berries that make pies and fillings. Well, all these scrumptious items would never have fruited from a flower blossom had a friendly bug or bird not decided to visit it's sweet smells. 

Did You Know? Pollination by birds is called ornithophilous and by insects is entomophilous. Their etymological origins stem from the Greek words "ornos" which translates to bird and "philia", loving, or "-philous", to love. 

References:

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornithophily 
US Fish & Wildlife Services - https://www.fws.gov/program/center-pollinator-conservation
https://www.fws.gov/our-work/pollinators
Merriam-Webster Dictionary online - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornithophilous

All things in existence require a union of forces to create something- it is the same with our foods and plants we make into textiles, paper, and plastics. The lovely pals of the animal and insect kingdom help fertilize all that we consume. Without the aid of pollinators - the pollen in flowers would never travel to it's partner destination for fertilization. This is why it is essential for mankind to deepen it's relationship to the natural world and anyone can easily start down this path by reading books from our catalogue like;

PAPERBACK

Pollinator Friendly Gardening Gardening for Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators

by Hayes, Rhonda Fleming

EBOOK

Pollinator Gardens

by Rebman, Nick

&

JUVENILE READS

My Pollinator Garden How I Plant for Bees, Butterflies, Beetles, and More

by Zwetchkenbaum, Jordan

Cultivating Native Plants For Pollinators: A Comprehensive Guide To Attracting Birds, Bees, And Butterflies

by Yoest, Helen

Animal Pollinators

by Boothroyd, Jennifer

Let's Grow Together