Category Archives: Pollinators

“One in three bites of food is thanks to a pollinator” When a flower is pollinated it can produce seeds, and fruits. Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anthers to the stigma of a flower. Plants rely on wind, water, or animals called pollinators to move pollen between different flowers. In this way […]

Pesticides present us with a challenge. Most wild pollinators are insects, and pesticides are substances designed to kill or control insects. Pest control is important in small-scale, and commercial farming systems, yet insects are critical pollinators of our crops. The application of pesticides must take into account potential negative effects on biodiversity, and especially avoid […]

Trees and shrubs for bees and other pollinators: Trees Acacias: Acacia xanthophloea Acacia kirkii Acacia senegal Acacia tortilis Note: All indigenous acacias are key resources for pollinators. An abundance and diversity of insects can be found swarming around flowering acacias. Acacia tortilis, and Acacia senegal are just two of many important dryland species. Albizia spp. […]

  True flies are grouped together in the insect group Diptera, which means ‘two wings’. There are over 150,000 known species of flies in the world. They can be found in most habitats, and are numerous in number. Many different kinds of flies visit flowers for nectar, pollen, to lay eggs in the flower, or to […]

 This is a general list of crops grown in the region that are dependent on pollinators. For most of these crops, we have not had the benefit of extensive studies, and much remains to be learnt about their interactions with pollinators.Some crops are 100% dependent on pollinators, without whose pollination services there are simply no […]

Pollination takes place when pollen is transferred from the male part of a flower (the anthers) where pollen is produced, to the female part (the stigma) of another flower of the same species, where the pollen germinates. Pollinators (like bees, wasps, moths, bats) transport pollen between flowers, ensuring that flowers produce seeds and fruits. Many […]

 Many people think wasps are a nuisance, or are afraid of wasps because they sting. But wasps are also beneficial. As they are predatory, and capture insects they provide vital ecological pest control services. Wasps also require pollen and nectar, and are common visitors to flowers. They carry pollen as they move around flowers, and […]

Sunbirds are colourful pollinators of many plants. They are generally small in size, and have long curved beaks. Flowers pollinated by sunbirds are often red or orange, have long tubular flowers, with lots of sugary nectar. Giant lobelias that grow on the high mountains of East Africa are pollinated by sunbirds, as are Aloes and […]

Ants Resource Needs Across Africa many will be familiar with ant-hills—they are one type of ant nest. Ants require areas of ground, decaying wood, and the canopy of trees for nesting. To successfully establish an ant colony, they will also need an adequate prey food base. They also require to be near water, and to […]