Who are the pollinators we'll meet this year? Bees, hummingbirds, moths, bats, butterflies, flies, beetles, and more!
Learn more about the 2021 Little Seeds Pollinator Pals Grant.
Swallowtail Butterfly
There are over 550 species of swallowtail butterfly, and 30 are native to North America. Coloring and patterns differ between species and also between males and females. Most have some combination of yellow, blue, black, or red coloration on their wings.
- Adults sip mud puddles for vital nutrients.
- When threatened, swallowtail caterpillars put off a stinky smell to keep predators away.Â
- The life span of most swallowtail butterflies ranges from 6 days to 6 weeks.
Download the Swallowtail butterfly Pollinator Pal profile to learn more!
Lesser Long-nose Bat
These bats have tan, rust, or cinnamon-colored bodies that are usually around 3'' long, which is also about the same length as their tongues! They have gray wings and a wingspan of about 10".
- Like all bats, lesser long-nosed bats are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night.Â
- From spring through fall, lesser long-nosed bats live in the southwestern U.S. but spend their winters in Mexico.Â
- Lesser long-nosed bats eat the nectar and fruit from night-blooming desert cacti such as saguaro, organ pipe, and agave.Â
Bumblebee
Bumblebees are the largest bee and range from 1.5 - 2.5 cm long. Bumblebees are generally very gentle and rarely sting unless they are disturbed.
- There are over 250 species of bumblebees in the world.
- Bumblebee colony sizes range from 50-400 bees.
- Only the queen bee survives through the winter.
Download the Bumblebee pollinator pal profile to learn more!
Chocolate Midge
These tiny flies are only 1-3 millimeters long — about the size of a pinhead! They resemble miniature mosquitos, but with feathery antennae.Â
photo by Tom Murray
- Chocolate midges live in tropical rainforests.
- Cacao trees depend on chocolate midges for pollination.
- Without these midges, we wouldn't have chocolate!
Download the Chocolate Midge Pollinator Pal Profile!
Mason Bee
Mason bees resemble house flies! Only females have stingers but they are not aggressive and rarely sting.
- A single mason bee can pollinate 2,000 flowers per day!
- Every mason bee female lays eggs and raises offspring by herself without the help of an organized colony.
- Mason bees emerge in early spring, making them excellent pollinators of early-blooming fruit trees.
Download the Mason Bee Pollinator Pal fact sheet and coloring page.
Sphinx Moth
Their wingspan can range between 1.25'' and 6'' and their wings come in a wide variety of shapes and colors.
Fun facts about sphinx moths!
- They are also called hawk or hummingbird moths, and the caterpillars are known as hornworms.
- They are some of the fastest flying insects in the world.
- There are over 1,200 species of Sphinx moth!
Download the FREE printable of the Sphinx Moth Pollinator Pal fact sheet, complete with a coloring page of their life cycle!