Pollinator of the Month
Pollinator of the Month
![Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/masonbees/Osmia_lignaria_th.jpg)
Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria)
Pollinator of the Month will highlight the interdependency of certain species of native North American wildflowers and their animal pollinators. Most plants have a flower morphology, color, blooming period, and/or scent that will attract a particular type of pollinator to reap its food rewards of nectar and pollen.
For some species, the co-evolved relationship between plant and pollinator can be so interconnected that the disappearance of one can signal the extinction of the other. Likewise, efforts to conserve or restore plant communities should pay special attention to the needs of the pollinators associated with those plants in order to promote long-term success.
Pollinator of the Month demonstrates the beautiful dance between native plants and their pollinators found in a variety of ecosystems across the United States.
Pollinator of the Month Gallery
Bats
![lesser long-nosed bat in flight approaching a catcus flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/long-nosedbat/lesser_long-nosed_bat_th.jpg)
Lesser Long-nosed Bat
Bees
![cuckoo bumblebee searching for pollen and nectar on a sneezeweed flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/bumblebee/psithyrus_insularis_th.jpg)
Bumblebees
![carpenter bee on a penstemon flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/carpenterbees/carpenter_bee_penstemon_th.jpg)
Carpenter Bees
![Globe mallow bee foraging for pollen on Munro's globemallow, in the process pollinating the flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/globe_mallow_bee/diadasia_diminuta3_th.jpg)
Globe Mallow Bee
![A metallic green sweat bee visits a wild rose flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/halictid_bees/agapostomen_th.jpg)
Halictid Bees
![A female megachile leafcutter bee.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/megachilebees/megachile_mcculloch_th.jpg)
Leaf Cutting Bees
![Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/masonbees/Osmia_lignaria_th.jpg)
Blue Orchard Mason Bee (Osmia lignaria)
![Perdita minima.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/perditaminima/perdita_minima_th.jpg)
Perdita minima
![Rose-mallow Bee.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/rosemallowbee/Ptilothrix_bombiformis2_th.jpg)
Rose-mallow Bee
![Sonoran Bumblebee (Bombus sonorus).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/sonoranbumblebee/Bombus_sonorus_th.jpg)
Sonoran Bumblebee (Bombus sonorus)
![male squash bee on a squash flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/squashbees/peponapis_male_th.jpg)
Squash Bees
Birds
![Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/rufoushummingbird/rufous_hummingbird_th.jpg)
Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
![ruby-throated hummingbird and honey bee in flight at a pink flower.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/rubythroat/ruby-throated_hummingbird_th.jpg)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Butterflies
![Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/swallowtail/Easterntigerswallowtailfemale_th.jpg)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
![Fritillary.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/fritillary/fritillary_3_th.jpg)
Fritillary
![male Karner blue butterfly on a grass leaf.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/karnerblue/male_karner_blue_th.jpg)
Karner Blue Butterfly
![adult monarch butterfly.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/monarch/monarch2_amc_th.jpg)
Monarch Butterfly
![Pleistodontes imperialis](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/zebralongwing/zebra_longwing_Philip_Kline2_th.jpg)
Zebra Longwing Butterfly
Flies
![Bee fly.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/beeflies/bee_fly_claytonia_virginica_th.jpg)
Bee Flies (Bombylius spp.)
![Eristalis flavipes.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/droneflies/Eristalis_flavipes_charlesmatson_th.jpg)
Drone Flies
![Flower fly on a yellow leaf.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/flowerflies/syrphid_fly_on_leaf_th.jpg)
Flower Flies
Moths
![the pink-spotted hawk moth on a Datura blossom.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/hawkmoths/agrius_cingulata_th.jpg)
Hawk Moths
![Snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis).](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/hummingbirdmoth/Snowberry_clearwing_Hemaris_th.jpg)
Hummingbird Moth
![Yucca moth.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/yuccamoth/yucca_moth_Ann_Cooper_Buguide_th.jpg)
Yucca Moths
Wasps
![Pleistodontes imperialis.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/figwasp/pleimp2b_th.jpg)
Fig Wasps
![pollen wasp on Penstemon haydenii.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130311215546im_/http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/masarines/penhaywasp_th.jpg)
Pollen Wasps
|