Extension and Outreach
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A new video describing the importance of native pollinators in Pennsylvania has recently been posted on YouTube. Produced by Penn State’s Dr. Ed Rajotte and Dr. David Biddinger, “Native Pollinators: A Promising Solution to an Emerging Crisis”, describes the decline of honey bees and the role other native pollinators play in pollination of crops. It depicts the efforts of Penn State’s Center for Pollinator Research, NRCS and the Xerces Society in researching the most effective native pollinators and assisting growers by planting pollinator habitats in farms and orchards in Pennsylvania. For more information on pollinators, visit the Center for Pollinator Research at http://ento.psu.edu/pollinators.
Neonicotinoid pesticides were first registered for use in the mid 1990's. Since then, these chemicals have become widely adopted for use on farm crops, ornamental landscape and trees.
There is no doubt that insect pollination is a vital service for agricultural systems. Without insect pollinators, roughly a third of the world’s crops would flower, only to fade and then lie barren. Pollinators ensure abundant fruits and vegetables.
