The gardens and woodlands at Jenkins provide a rich habitat for our native pollinators. Scroll down to learn more about pollinators and the plants that support them. Enjoy photos of pollinator-friendly plants, a pollination Q&A, and a virtual Wednesday Walkabout highlighting one of our pollinator garden areas.
Pollinator-Friendly Plants
Check back often to see images of our favorite plants for pollinators! As the gardens grow and change throughout the season, so will these photos. Be inspired by these seasonal blooms, and check out The Garden Shop at Jenkins to purchase some to take home. Learn more about The Garden Shop by clicking here.
Pollinator Q&A
Keep reading to discover more about our local pollinators! You can also learn more by visiting the Xerces Society, the Pollinator Partnership, and the US Forest Service.
Q: What are the impacts of pollination?
A: By fertilizing flowering plants and allowing them to produce seeds and fruits, pollinators make major contributions to natural areas, gardens, and agriculture. According to the USDA, three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollination.
Q: What is a pollination syndrome?
A: A pollination syndrome is the collection of flower traits that may attract a particular pollinator or group of pollinators. For example, flowers that attract hummingbirds are often red, a color that stands out most easily to them, and tube shaped, a shape that accommodates their long beak.
Q: How many bee species are native to North America?
A: According to the USGS, there are approximately 4,000 bee species native to North America. These bees evolved with our native plants and are crucial pollinators for those plant species. Plants that native bees are uniquely effective at pollinating include apples, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, and squash.
Q: What other pollinators are there besides bees?
A: Bees get a lot of attention in the discussion on pollinators, but there is actually a wide diversity of animals who pollinate. Other insect pollinators include wasps, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, and ants. Hummingbirds and bats are also mammal pollinators.
Q: Do all bees make honey? Do wasps make honey?
A: Of the 20,000 described bee species worldwide, the one most commonly used for honey production is Apis mellifera, the European Honeybee. There are other species of insects that make honey, including other species of honeybees, bumblebees, wasps, and ants. These other species, however, do not make the same quantity or quality of honey. All honey sold in grocery stores, for example, is produced by the European Honeybee.
Q: Do all bees live in hives?
A: Only about 30% of bee species live in hives. Other bees can nest in a wide variety of habitats, including underground, in hollow stems, or in holes in trees.
Q: What butterflies are you likely to see in Southeastern PA?
A: There are many! You are likely to spot Cabbage White (Pieris rapae), Pearl Crescentspot (Phyciodes tharos), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilo glaucus), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), Eastern Tailed Blue (Everes comyntas), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), and Viceroy (Basilarchia archippus).
Virtual Wednesday Walkabout – Pollinator Garden on Browning Hillside
Enjoy this virtual Wednesday Walkabout to explore the past, present, and future of our pollinator garden on the Browning Hillside.