June 4, 2026 Unconventional Pollinators Everyone loves to see bumblebees buzzing, butterflies fluttering, and even hummingbirds darting between nectar-rich blossoms in their restoration area, but what about the less conventional pollinators? Pollination doesn’t just occur through these cute and friendly looking creatures, it also is provided by some of the more creepy-crawly insects and critters in our ecosystems. Beetles, flies, wasps, and moths all act as important vectors of pollination and benefit from native plant restoration. What is Pollination? Pollination is essential to the functioning of every ecosystem, including restored ones. Flowering plants reproduce by transferring DNA and fertilizing through pollen. Plants use different pollination strategies: grasses and trees rely on wind, while many forbs evolved to attract animals with their nectar and pollen. Animals unintentionally collect pollen when feeding and disperse this pollen as they move from plant to plant, and we call these helpful creatures pollinators! Recognizing the diversity of pollinators can help you appreciate the unique ecological relationships that you are helping conserve through your natural areas conservation efforts. Now let’s take a closer look at these not so obvious pollinators that you may run into this growing season. Flies and Moths Despite their reputation, flies rank as the second most prolific pollinators after bees. Hoverflies, AKA flower flies, mimic bees in appearance, possessing black and yellow coloration, which they evolved as protection from predators. You can distinguish hoverflies from bees by their single pair of wings, while bees have two pairs. One such hoverfly species from Minnesota is the long-nosed swamp fly. This small fly frequents pond edges and pollinates native blue flag iris (Iris versicolor), sweet flag (Acorus americanus), and spiderwort (Tradescantia spp.). Flowers that attract flies often display pale to dark brown or purple hues and grow in funnel shapes. They also often have an unpleasant odor- smelling of rotten meat or dung. Unlike their diurnal cousins, moths do most of their pollinating at night. Moths favor flowers that are have dull colors, open late afternoon or night, and have a landing platform. The western fringed prairie orchid (Platanthera praeclara), a MN state endangered species, is only pollinated by hawk moths. Hawk moths use their long straw-like mouth, known as a proboscis, to suck up nectar from long-necked blossoms. These fuzzy, fast-flying moths hover in place as they feed on nectar, often fooling observers into mistaking them for hummingbirds. Beetles and Wasps Beetles are one of the most ancient pollinators, as well as one of the most abundant. Beetle-attracting flowers are typically bowl-shaped, white, yellow, or green, and emit a strong fruity fragrance. One local example of this relationship is the goldenrod soldier beetle. These yellow and black beetles are active from July to September and pollinate flowers including rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium), milkweed (Asclepius spp.) and as you may have guessed, goldenrod (Solidago spp.). Another pollinator is the red-necked false blister beetle commonly feeds on and spreads pollen from trout lilies (Erythronium spp.). Have you ever run into one of these intimidating, maybe even terrifying, great black wasps? Well, fear not, they are actually not aggressive towards humans unless heavily provoked! These wasps prefer to feed on nectar and hunt grasshoppers to feed their young rather than sting people. Great black wasps are known to have a particular affinity for pollinating milkweed (Asclepias spp.). Wasps are an unsung hero of pollination– studies have shown that certain wasp species are actually similarly or more efficient pollinators compared to bees. One group of wasps, Masarinae, have evolved to only feed on pollen and nectar, while other wasps forage on flower nectar while hunting for prey. Wasp-attracting flowers tend to be dull in color, possess unusual odors, and have readily accessible nectar. How to Help Pollinators Native pollinators come in many different shapes and sizes– from creepy-crawly beetles to beautiful fluttering butterflies. Each one plays an important role in the health and success of restored ecosystems. Pollinators benefit from restorations with a wide variety of native flowers, shrubs, grasses, and sedges. By choosing native plants, you are sure to see a great diversity of pollinators enjoying your restoration. If you’re interested in starting your native plant restoration but unsure of where to begin contact us today! We offer design, installation, and maintenance services. We also offer Minnesota native shore, wetland, prairie, and woodland species to create your own special natural area. Of course, we grow all of our plants without pesticides.
