Research shows that pollinator numbers across the nation and across South Dakota are declining. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist Charlene Bessken explains what wildlife officials are attributing the decrease to and how people can help.
Pollinators are an integral part in propagating the worlds’ food supply, but according to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist Charlene Bessken, their habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate.
“Pollinators include butterflies, bees, flies, moths, even beetles are pollinators – some bats will pollinate plants. A lot of times people think of flowers but really pollinators work to pollinate things like corn, our vegetables, fruit trees, things like that so they’re very important critters to have around,” says Bessken.
Bessken says pollinator habitats are disappearing in South Dakota due in part to the development of prairie lands. But, with warmer weather on the way, people can help by constructing supplemental habitats, like pollinator gardens.
Bessken and a team of volunteers recently planted a pollinator garden near the Oahe Downstream state park in Pierre. She says plants that are native to South Dakota offer the most benefits.
“Milkweeds are good for a lot of butterflies and some of the beetles like butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed. There’s several kinds of sunflower, asters are a good one, penstemon are a nice showy flower that a lot of people like to have in their gardens,” says Bessken.
Pollinator gardens don’t have to be large - Bessken says a simple whiskey barrel cut in half can be sufficient.
