Bee City

Blind River is taking action to protect our local pollinators!

Pollinator Facts

• Pollinators include native/wild bees, honey bees, wasps, beetles, flies, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, other insects, and some mammals too.

• There are over 800 species of native bees in Canada, most are solitary and live in the ground.

• Some native bee species are picky about the flowers they visit and only forage for pollen from a small number of plants, sometimes just one species.

• Honey bees were brought to Canada in the 1800s for their honey and wax. Today, many farms depend on them for the pollination of crops.

• Almost 90% of plants on the planet need pollinators to reproduce.

• 75% of food crops require pollination to maximize seed or fruit production.

• 40% of the world’s pollinator population is at risk.

Watch here: Honey Harvest - Why We Should Care About Pollinators

Why are pollinators threatened?

As we change natural landscapes to make way for cities, urban sprawl, industrial and agricultural lands, pollinators lose their food sources and homes.

Large scale farming often depends on agrochemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These can create toxic environments for pollinators.

Growing one type of crop over large areas of land, as is common on many farms, does not provide the kind of habitat or food sources that pollinators need. They require rich and diverse ecosystems that include a multitude of native plants, shrubs, and threes.

What can we do about this?

Create healthier and more diverse natural environments in our cities, schools, parks, backyards, balconies, farms, and countryside!