Caring for Pollinators - Bundesamt für Naturschutz

Hamm Fact sheet pollinators: Bees (Hymenoptera)
diversity of all animal-pollinated plants. Much of their diversity in shape is due to a high variety
of mechanisms by which they conceal or present their pollen and nectar. A further explosion
of diversity in plants and bees is based on the offering of resources which can only be
found in melittophilous flowers: droplets of resin, fatty oils and perfumes, which are collected
by highly specialised bees. Furthermore several melittophilous flowers imitate the shape and
the sex perfumes of female insects in order to attract the males as pollinators. Many flowers
visited by bees have the following characteristics:
Major flower preferences
favored floral shapes flowers formed like a bell, brush, jaw, flag or tube
morphological characteristics
zygomorphous flowers with landing platforms, often a bottom
lip, deep flowers, opportunity to enter
microscopic characteristics Non-slip surface, sometimes with silky gloss
favored colours blue, yellow, white
scent mild, often like honey
nectar concealed, from 15 to 60 % sugar
Composed and modified after HEß, D. (1983)
Bees as crop pollinators
More than 30 % of human foods belong to bee pollinated plants. A great number of herbs or
medicinal plants or animal-fodder or ornamental plants are also pollinated by bees. Bees
and their pollination service are responsible for an enormous yield increase in cultivated
plants and crops. Wild bees pollinate crops like red clover, alfalfa, beans and tomatoes better
than honey bees. Therefore the “pollination-service” of the bees, which cannot be replaced
by technology, has not only an enormous ecological, but also an economic importance.
Honey bee pollinate more crops than any other bees, but their services are artificial
and variable. At present the most important insect pollinated crops in Europe have an annual
market value of 65 million €.
Because of the continuous decline of pollinator abundance in croplands, particularly in wild
bees, a “pollination-deficit“ is a reality. Biodiversity as well as yields in agriculture are reduced.
Therefore appropriate pollinator management is needed both for natural ecosystems
and agricultural ecosystems.
Fruits and nuts
Actinidia deliciosa (Actinidiaceae); Kiwifruit Malus sylvestris (Rosaceae); Apple
Anacardium occidentale (Anacardiaceae);
Cashew
Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae); Mango
Averrhoa carambola (Oxalidaceae); Starfruit Myrciaria cauliflora (Myrtaceae); Jaboticaba
Carica papaya (Caricaceae); Papaya Nephelium litchi (Sapindaceae); Litchi
Citrullus lanatus (Cucurbitaceae); Watermelon Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae); Prickly Pear
Citrus limon (Rutaceae); Lemon Passiflora caerulata (Passifloraceae); Maracuja
Citrus paradise (Rutaceae); Grapefruit Persea americana (Lauraceae); Avocado
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