Check out our latest news: Pollinator Week 2017

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Check out our latest story:   The importance of pollination The European honey bee, the "ambassador of pollination," is the animal that most immediatley comes to mind when we think of pollinators. Join us in observing "Pollinator Week 2017" by learning about some of the species that pollinate flowering plants in the western U.S. Credit: JJ Harrison/Creative Commons SA3.0 By Joanna Gilkeson June 20, 2017 It's Pollinator Week and there's been a lot of buzz about the decline of pollinators lately, but why? Pollination is a vital stage in the life cycle of all flowering plants. When pollen is moved within a flower or carried from one flower to another of the same species it leads to fertilization. In fact, 75 percent of flowering plants rely on animal pollination – including decorative flowers and the orange groves responsible for the orange juice available at the grocery store. This transfer of pollen is necessary for healthy crops and plants across the globe. Bees are the most recognizable pollinator, but they aren't the only ones. Pollinators come in many sizes and include ants, beetles, bats, butterflies and even lemurs. More than 200,000 species pollinate flowering plants and agriculture crops worldwide. Many species are threatened by loss of food sources and habitat, human encroachment and inappropriate pesticide use. Pollinators, like the ones below, make wildflower superblooms possible and fulfill our chocolate and coffee cravings. Here's to some of our local pollinators! Continue to full story... Stay Connected with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region     This email was sent using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region · 2800 Cottage Way · Suite W-2606 · Sacramento, CA 95825