Pollinator Waterers & Shelters

July 23, 2023

Pollinator Waterers and Shelters

Pollinators need sources of water for many purposes, including drinking. Butterflies, for example will gather and sip at shallow pools, mud puddles or even birdbaths. You can easily create one of these water sources in your landscapes.

Why it is important to provide water for beneficial insects.

·Pollinators need sources of water for many purposes including drinking and reproduction.

·Foraging honeybees collect water to dilute honey, regulate humidity, and cool the hive.

·Butterflies get salts and nutrients from water and mud puddles.

·Mud puddles can provide nesting holes for many insects.
Ways we can provide water in our gardens for these insects.

·This can be as easy as adding a bird bath or puddling area for butterflies or is complex as a water feature.

·There are many variations that can be great projects for kids.
Why shelters are important.

·Pollinators use shelters to nest, which will protect developing larvae.

·Winter conditions can be extreme, so pollinator insects use shelters like Dead wood, rock piles, leftover perennials, and grasses, for overwintering.