5 Pollinating Pests

If you have seasonal allergies (aka hay fever), any type of warm weather can be quite troublesome. Flowers and plants bloom in warm weather, which means that pollen is in the air and our noses once again. We can still see some pollinating insects hard at work on these fragrant flowers and blossoms. Pollination is the act of transferring pollen between the anther and the stigma of a plant, and often involves pollen traveling from one plant to another by way of a third party. When the pollinators transfer pollen to female plants, the plants can then make seeds and start sprouting. This is why flowers have evolved to take on bright colors and strong fragrances: to attract more pollinators and have more opportunities for fertilization. Some plants can pollinate themselves and preserve their species, but most prefer to have pollinating critters do the hard work. There are all kinds of insects and animals that can pollinate plants, but let’s focus on a few of the most common pollinating pests that we are more likely to see in our backyards. 

Stinging Insects

Flower Preferences: open during daylight, brightly colored, sweet-smelling, tubular, easy to land on

When you think of pollinating insects, the stinging species are likely the first ones that come to mind. Many of these pests are the most prevalent pollinators due to their anatomies and natural habits. Bees and wasps, and many of their sub-species, frequently pollinate while they forage for delectable nectar. This is why they commonly pollinate the plants brimming with nectar and can cause the plants to produce even more in order to attract the insects again. This category of insects is also great at pollinating because they rely on the flowers to feed their massive colonies. The foragers leave the nest to visit different flowers, collecting copious amounts of nectar and pollen to feed the larvae and adults alike. But you may be hard-pressed to see a stinging insect near a certain color when they are around flowers; they cannot see the color red, so bees and wasps tend to stay away from red flowers in general. 

Of course, some stinging insects are better than others at this pollinating game. Bumblebees are one of the most productive pollinating species for a few reasons. For one, they need to gather enough to feed their growing colonies, which can have hundreds of bees within it. The larval stage eats the most nectar, so the foraging bumblebees need to gather enough to sustain this new generation. Another reason bumblebees are expert pollinators is because of the advantages that come with their bodies. The fuzz that covers this bee’s body collects a lot of pollen, which makes it easy for the bumblebee to inadvertently pollinate every flower it subsequently lands on when the pollen is shaken off. They also have corbiculae — baskets on their legs — that they use for collecting pollen to bring back to their hive. The corbiculae can shed some pollen with the bee’s movements, which causes the pollen to land on any flower in the immediate area. On the other hand, wasps are not the best pollinators out there. Since their bodies are hairless, they don’t collect nearly as much pollen while they are foraging. But they can still drop some pollen as they zoom around the foliage, so any flowers in the area would be happy to see some stinging insects pay them a visit. 

Flies

Flower Preferences: fruit crops (apples, berries, peaches, etc.), white-colored, open structures, strong and strange-smelling, early blooms

It seems strange to include flies on this list since they’re normally associated with eating garbage. Flies do generally prefer decaying organic matter over healthy plants and insects, but they also enjoy certain components of flowers when they are in the area. These pests like to eat nectar and pollen, so they will gather these items when they can. The nectar provides carbohydrates and pollen gives protein, so flies that enjoy these delicacies will have more energy to continue searching for food. They often have the first choice in the flowers that they visit, as flies are active sooner than some other insects who cannot handle the chill as well as they do. It’s more common to see flies on flowers in areas that bees are not, since flies will not compete with bees and can therefore help the plants that do not have the pleasure of being visited by bees.

One specific fly subspecies that is known for pollinating is the hover fly. They have the same long proboscis (mouth piece) that butterflies and mosquitos do. This allows them to drink nectar from a wide variety of flowers and pollinate as they go along. They will migrate long distances in order to find the best flowers. They can also carry pollen back to their home if they live far from this new food source, which gives hover flies even more of an advantage in their selection process. They will gravitate more towards flowers that have an aphid issue, as this gives the hover fly larvae a nearby food source. While the hover fly is busy feeding on the nectar and pollen of the flower, the larvae can eat the tiny pests that lurk on the same flowers. Hover flies will choose to lay their eggs in infested flowers over healthy ones any day. This is both helpful and annoying, as it still means that some kind of pest will constantly be on the flowers. 

Mosquitoes

Flower Preferences: darker colors, pollen-heavy, odorous, plenty of nectar, certain species

That’s right: the most common bloodsuckers in ponds and backyards across the country are also pollinators. Who knew? Both male and female mosquitoes enjoy nectar, but their preferences heavily differ once the eggs are laid. Male mosquitoes live on nectar and will not eat anything else, and they will eat far more in their early adult stage to gain energy for mating. Females will also consume plenty of nectar before mating, but they switch gears completely with the arrival of their eggs. They will then turn to warm blood in order to have enough protein for their eggs as well, which is when the female mosquitoes leave us with those itchy bites. 

As mosquitoes drink nectar from their favorite flowers, they also collect pollen on their bodies and mouths. When they turn to the next flower for more delicious nectar, mosquitoes then pollinate without trying. The catch is that only certain flowers seem to be sufficiently pollinated by mosquitoes, likely because of their small size, lack of fuzz, and inconsistency with collecting pollen. The primary flower that mosquitoes are known to pollinate is the orchid, especially when the flower isn’t in a backyard that is managed by pest control. Luckily, very few plants actually depend on mosquitoes for pollination, most of which are out in the wild. While mosquitoes do provide some good in this regard, it is not enough to justify keeping them around our homes.

Beetles

Flower Preferences: fragrant flowers (spicy, fruity, decaying), blooming in daylight, large, plenty of nectar 

This pest is the oldest pollinator on this list, and we’re not talking about life span. Archaeologists have found evidence of beetles pollinating flowers in ancient times, and they continue to prefer the flowers with ties to ancient history, like magnolias. There are many insects that fall under the “beetle” category, so not all of them are pollinators that like to feed from flowers. But the ones that do will visit the flowers for just about every reason except the pollen itself. Most species like to munch on the leaves and flowers, while others enjoy the sweet nectar. Some, like ladybugs, are just there to snack on the smaller pests that are crawling around the plant and destroying it. But there are a few beetles that are actually there for the pollen, the most obvious being the pollen beetle. There aren’t a ton of plant species that are pollinated by beetles, but it is enough for them to secure a place in history.

Cantharophily, or beetle pollination, is done to even fewer plants than mosquitos or flies. Since beetles are largely smooth and don’t live in colonies, they do not have a reason to try and gather as much pollen as they possibly can. But the pollen-eating beetles are capable of carrying extra pollen to the plants they visit in the future, thus completing the cantharophily process. Most species don’t pollinate on purpose, and likely won’t make much of an impact in the grand scheme of things. The negative effect of beetles is more well-known than their pollination, especially since they are part of a notorious group of destructive pests. Certain insects will eat through the flower petals and gradually work their way through the plant, simultaneously leaving their waste behind in the flowers. This group is called “mess & soil” pests, and plenty of beetles fall into this category. Beetles navigate by scent, so it’s usually the most fragrant flowers that are visited by beetles.

Moths

Flower Preferences: fragrant flowers, clusters, nectar-heavy, duller colors

Since most moth species are nocturnal, they have a different taste for flowers than many other pollinating pests. They are mostly drawn to flowers that have strong scents because these are easier to find in the dark. The color of the flowers don’t matter too much for this reason, so it is common to see moths visiting white and lightly colored flowers over some of the brighter varieties. Honeysuckle is a notable favorite of moths since it checks all of the boxes. The primary factor that moths have to prioritize is other nocturnal pollinators that coincidentally have a taste for moths. Bats are actually known to pollinate plenty of flowers, and moths are a favorite late night snack for them as well.

While some moth species do feed during the day, the time of day that they feed is not nearly as impactful on the flowers as the moths themselves. Since these pests are so fuzzy, it’s easy to see why they are such prominent pollinators. They will go deep inside the flower to get to the nectars, which allows their bodies to become coated in pollen. Some species can fly further from their home than others, so plenty of cross-pollination can occur. Some of the moth’s success with pollination could be due in part to the shared qualities with their relatives: butterflies. Both winged insects pollinate countless plant species in warm weather, and their opposing daily schedules means that more flowers can enjoy being pollinated by the fluttery moths and butterflies. 

Protect Your Plants With Pointe Pest Control!

Without pollinating critters, we would not have the wide array of beautiful flowers, plants, and trees that we do in the world. So when we talk about pest control for small pests, we don’t mean that we want to wipe out the whole pollination population. This is why we take extra care when certain stinging insects are involved, like bumblebees. But there is plenty of room for pollinating creatures to work without taking over your yard – or worse, your home. Our team of certified technicians will first inspect the property to pinpoint the exact problem areas and pests. We will then form a customized treatment plan to efficiently solve your pest issues and leave you with a pest-free home. Contact us for more information on our environmentally-friendly services and to learn how we can provide you with the pest-free spring of your dreams!

Citations

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Grozinger, C. (Dr.). (2021, August 26). Feeding the flower flies: How to attract flies to your garden. PennState Extension. Available at https://extension.psu.edu/feeding-the-flower-flies-how-to-attract-flies-to-your-garden (Accessed on February 27, 2023).

Hadley, D. (2019, July 20). 7 insect pollinators that aren’t bees or butterflies. ThoughtCo. Available at https://www.thoughtco.com/insect-pollinators-that-arent-bees-or-butterflies-1967996 (Accessed on February 27, 2023).

McManus, R. (2019, September 18). Pollinator insects other than bees and butterflies. Durham Master Gardeners. Available at https://durhammastergardeners.com/2019/09/18/pollinator-insects-other-than-bees-and-butterflies/ (Accessed on February 27, 2023).

Mizejewski, D. (2022, August 16). What purpose do mosquitos serve?. NWF Blog. Available at https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-purpose-do-mosquitoes-serve/ (Accessed on February 27, 2023).

Pollinators: Friendly foes. (2018, March 23). Northwest. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.callnorthwest.com/2018/03/pollinators-friendly-foes/ 

What is a pollinator?. (2018, June 18). National Park Service. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.nps.gov/subjects/pollinators/what-is-a-pollinator.htm