Pollinators & Habitat

Life on the prairie has always been connected to agriculture. Across Nebraska, fields of corn, soybeans, pumpkins, sunflowers, and orchards shape the landscape. Yet behind many of those crops is a quiet partnership with pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and other insects help plants reproduce by moving pollen between flowers. That process supports food production across farms, orchards, and gardens. Pollinators contribute to crops responsible for about one-third of the global human food supply, making them an essential part of agriculture.

Spending time in our pollinator garden near the University of Nebraska East Campus often brings that connection into focus. Watching bees move through prairie flowers reminds me that the same insects visiting backyard gardens may also travel across nearby farmland. Understanding the relationship between pollinators and food systems helps explain why protecting pollinator habitats across Nebraska matters so much.

Pollination and Crops

Pollination happens when pollen moves from one flower to another, allowing plants to produce seeds and fruit. Many crops grown across the Midwest rely on pollinators during this process. Corn and wheat depend largely on wind pollination. Other crops grown in Nebraska benefit heavily from insects. Pumpkins, squash, apples, berries, and many vegetable crops rely on pollinators visiting their flowers. Pollinators help reproduce more than 75 percent of flowering plants worldwide, which includes many food-producing plants.

Farmers and gardeners see the results of successful pollination directly. Flowers that receive enough pollen develop fuller fruits and stronger seeds. Across Nebraska’s agricultural landscape, pollinators help bridge natural ecosystems and food production. Prairie habitats, roadside wildflowers, and small gardens all support insects that may later visit crops. Pollination happens quietly, yet the results appear everywhere, from farmers markets to dinner tables.

Bees and Food Production

Bees remain among the most effective pollinators in agricultural ecosystems. Their bodies collect pollen easily, and their foraging behavior leads them to visit large numbers of flowers in a single day. During one foraging trip, a bee may visit hundreds of flowers, transferring pollen across plants as it gathers nectar.

Many people think first of honeybees, yet North America supports more than 4,000 species of native bees, many of which pollinate plants more efficiently than honeybees.

Several native bee species commonly found in Nebraska include:

Bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus)
Leaf Cutter Bee (Megachile spp.)
Green Sweat Bee (Augochloropsis metallica)
Mining Bee (Anthophora abrupta)

Some bees specialize in collecting pollen from only a few plant species. Those specialized relationships help certain crops and native plants reproduce successfully. Bee behavior also reflects remarkable sensory abilities. Ultraviolet patterns on flower petals guide bees toward nectar sources that human eyes cannot easily see. Across prairie landscapes, those pollination visits support both natural ecosystems and agricultural production.

Habitat Loss

Pollinators depend on healthy habitats for food, shelter, and nesting. Prairie ecosystems historically provided vast pollinator habitat across the Great Plains. Tallgrass prairie once covered about 170 million acres of North America, including large portions of the Midwest.

Today, less than four percent of original tallgrass prairie remains, making it one of the most endangered ecosystems on the continent. Much of Nebraska’s prairie has been converted into farmland or developed landscapes. 

Agriculture remains vital to the state’s economy, yet pollinators still require patches of natural habitat. Nesting sites present another challenge. Many solitary bees nest in hollow plant stems or tunnels in wood, while others nest directly in the ground. When natural habitat disappears, nesting opportunities decline as well.

Plant diversity also affects pollinator health. Landscapes filled with only one crop provide far fewer food sources compared with diverse prairie ecosystems filled with wildflowers. Protecting prairie remnants and planting native flowers can help rebuild those connections between farmland and pollinator habitat.

Supporting Pollinators

Supporting pollinators does not require large landscapes. Even small gardens can contribute to healthier pollinator populations. Simple practices that help pollinators include:

• planting flowers that bloom from spring through autumn
• grouping flowers together so pollinators can locate nectar sources easily
• avoiding pesticides that harm beneficial insects
• leaving plant stems standing through winter to provide nesting habitat

Native prairie plants often work especially well in Nebraska landscapes. Many evolved to tolerate dry conditions and seasonal weather patterns found across the Great Plains. Once established, native plants typically require less watering and fertilizer than ornamental plants.

Pollinators can also travel surprising distances while searching for food. Bees may fly half a mile to two miles from their nests, connecting backyard gardens with surrounding landscapes. That movement means even small pollinator gardens in cities like Lincoln can support pollinators across a much wider area.

Prairie Inspiration at Pixel Prairie Co.

Spending time in our pollinator garden near East Campus has made the relationship between pollinators and agriculture much more visible. Bees regularly move between prairie flowers such as coneflowers, bee balm, and asters. Many of those same insects also visit flowering crops grown across Nebraska farms.

Observing pollinators in the garden reveals to me how connected prairie landscapes and agricultural systems truly are. Native plants provide nectar and pollen that sustain insects throughout the season.

Prairie wildflowers also influence many of the colors and patterns used in the handmade designs at Pixel Prairie Co. The shapes of grasses, butterflies, and prairie blooms often appear in the ideas that grow out of time spent observing these landscapes. Those moments outdoors help reinforce how closely everyday life remains tied to the natural world.