Amy-Lynn Albertson: Save the bees, all the bees

Bumblebee pollinating Beebalm flower

By Amy-Lynn Albertson

N.C. Cooperative Extension

Did you know that 75-95 percent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators for pollination? North Carolina has a $78-billion agriculture economy that depends on pollinators for crops such as cucumbers, squash, blueberries and strawberries. It’s been estimated that native pollinators are responsible for pollinating almost $3 billion worth of U.S.-produced fruits and vegetables. Only 2 percent of wild bee species do 80 percent of the pollination. In North Carolina, we have 13 known bumblebee species, several of which are threatened. In addition to our bumble bees, N.C. is home to 174 species of butterflies and 1,200 moth species. To encourage these pollinators to come to your farm/garden or yard, you ne