Pollinators Needed
Helping Flowers Grow
What is Pollination?
Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anthers of one flower to the stigmas of the same or another flower. Movement of pollen between flowers on separate plants is called cross-pollination.
How Does Pollination Occur?
Are Pollinators Important?
Honeybee
As the honeybee forages around inside a flower looking for food, pollen from the anther of the flower sticks to her legs. As she flies off and lands on another flower, the pollen rubs off her legs onto the stigma of that flower.
Butterfly
When a butterfly lights on a large flower head to look for nectar, a little pollen sticks to its legs and body. As it flies off and lands on other flowers the pollen rubs off and pollinates the flowers.
Hummingbird
When a hummingbird inserts its beak into a flower to drink nectar, sticky pollen grains cling to the side of its beak. When the hummingbird visits its next flower, some of the pollen is transferred, and if both flowers are the same species, pollination occurs.