Pollinator essay

   Pollinators all around the world are dying because of pesticides. It is important we keep bees alive for our survival. If we don't we’d be slowly killing ourselves,because of the species closely tied relationship.Today I will show you how we can save them, and what’s killing them.


   Firstly,pollinators all around the world are dying because of pesticides,and herbicides. Bees always travel back to the hive. If they carry back a pesticide it destroys the whole hive.
One pesticide called Atrazine changes the gender of male frogs.”Panna.org says,” More than 75 million pounds are used in United States farm.” In conclusion I have noticed that pesticides affect everything,not just plants and animals. I didn’t know pollinators were dying until I started researching about them.

“Environmental Impacts.”
         Pesticide Action Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016

   Secondly,Pollinators help spread pollen by traveling plant to plant. Pollinated plants produce fruit and  seeds which is twenty five percent of a bird's food. Without we would collapse the food chain.  A source I have been researching Plants.usda.gov says,”there are 200,000 different types of species that act as pollinators.”If companies keep distributing pesticides they could be gone. Now that you see, how companies are still selling pesticides and how pollinators keep pollinating the plants with pesticides on them. Is there any way we can stop this cycle?

"Native Elements."
    AccessScience (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2016.
 

    In effect to losing pollinators one third of our food supply would be gone. Plants.usda.gov says, “At least 185 species are considered threatened or extinct.”If pollinators became extinct it could collapse the food chain. Pollinators don’t just help us make food. They can help us make beverages and condiments too. In Conclusion Pollinators are very important. If we kill them we would lose more than just food. We could lose medicines,beverages,and condiments.

"Native Elements."
    AccessScience (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10 May 2016.

   To address this issue we need to make other people aware by making companies change policies concerning pesticides.Bee keeping was not allowed in New York until 2010. Nytimes says, “Walmart also started a policy where they put damaged chemicals and pesticides into a bucket liner so that none of that pesticide or chemical leaks.” There are so many ways companies can change this. Maybe with organic pesticides, or labeling lethal pesticides.
Now that you can see, how we can make people,and companies aware. And how there are so many ways these companies can change what they’re doing wrong.


Clifford, Stephanie. "Wal-Mart Is Fined $82 Million Over Mishandling of Hazardous Wastes." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 May 2013. Web. 18 May 2016.

At Massabesic Middle School we are addressing this issue by hoping to plant wildflowers and milkweed for a butterfly habitat. We have taken soil samples around our school that test the acidic levels of the ground. If the acidic level is to high we can’t plant certain flowers.We have also been studying articles about pesticides. We have also started to write letters to companies who sell pesticides.

Now that you can see, how much pollinators are important for our survival,and how pesticides are slowly making pollinators extinct, because of are closely tied relationship. We can stop pesticide use  if we convince companies to change their policies. Which is why here at Massabesic Middle School we’re testing the soil,writing letters to companies who sell pesticides, and creating a butterfly garden.Together we can save the pollinators.

Pollinators

The Importance Of Pollinators
By: Chloe Babb


Pollinators are crucial to everyday life and some of us don't don't even realize how important the are. But pollinators have started to die out from the harmful GMO and pesticides we are putting in our crops. From recent studies it shows that an average of 30% of bee hives decrease each year. These are some of the thing that pollinators help us with. For example, they help pollinate those sweet, juicy fruits. But one of the biggest issues that people don't realize is how much money we keep in our pockets because of the pollinators. This means that they help us save money by pollinating our crops for free. instance, farmers don't need to pay someone to come and help pollinate their crops because pollinators will do it for free.

       Pollinators are dying do to the harmful pesticides we are putting in our foods in our crops. By putting pesticides in our crops we are poisoning our pollinators that come to pollinate our crops. One example of this is, “ Protecting pollinators is just one of the many reasons we eat organic foods.” This is important because it shows one of the ways humans are trying to help save the pollinators. Stated by Beyond Pesticides Organization. This is just one of the many reasons why pollinators are dying off.

       Again, the importance of pollinators is extensive but one of the ways they are important is by pollinating our crops. By pollinating our foods they are providing us bunches of foods by pollinating them. One example of this is,“ Pollinators pollinate approximately 75% of crops.” This is important because it shows us how much of our crops pollinators pollinate.  Stated by NRCS. This is just one of the ways pollinators are important for our food supply.

        The consequences of losing pollinators is a big concern in the U.S. because they provide humans with food, but they also are a food source for other animals and insects. One example of this is, “ Bee populations have dropped 30% per year since 2006.” This is important because it shows how much and how quickly bee populations are declining.Stated by NRCS. This is just one of the many concerns the U.S. has about losing our pollinators.

         Some people have started planting flowers with no pesticides, to provide a food source for the pollinators. Do to this issue food prices have gone up because there is so little of the product being sold. Americans are also losing money because we don't have the goods to sell to the other countries to make profit. One example of this is, “ For example, it has been estimated that insect-pollinated crops directly contributed $20 billion to be United States economy in the year 2000.” Stated by NRCS. This shows how much pollinators help contribute to the profit we make from the goods we send to other countries. This is one of the ways pollinators help bring money into this country.

         What most people don't realize is how easy saving the pollinators can be. One simple way to help is by planting flowers around your home or neighborhood. This what we hear at Massabesic Middle School are doing to help this matter. We are planting a garden which not only benefits the pollinators by giving them a habitat to live in but it also benefits our school. One example of this is, “ Bring bees to areas where they are thriving and try to make them healthier before they get sick.” Stated by Noah Wilson-Rich. This shows how easy it can be to help this matter. This is one of the ways you can help save the pollinators.

           In conclusion, pollinators are crucial and some of us don't don't realize the importance of pollinators. For example, pollinators pollinators pollinate our sweet, juicy fruits. The biggest issues people don't realize is how much money we keep in our pockets because of the pollinators. For instance, farmers don't need to pay someone to come and pollinate their crops because pollinators do it for free. But the harmful pesticides we are putting in our crops are causing the pollinators to die off. Because the pollinators are important because they provide humans with food by pollinating our crops. By losing our pollinators we aren't only losing some our crops but the small insects and animals food source. These are some of the reasons why we need to do something about this issue before the pollinators die off.

   Pollinators are important because we need the food they pollinate to survive, and pollinators keep flowers alive for commercial farmers or gardeners that sell them. This is because of pesticide use. There are several consequences but one of them is losing some of our food. People need to give awareness to the declining population of pollinators or else there will be none left. You can also plant habitats at your house or stop using chemicals in your garden or lawn.

   First off, Pollinators are dying because of certain chemicals like pesticides. This is one of the major reasons why the pollinator population is dropping so much. For example, “More than 75 million lbs. of herbicides and pesticides are on U.S. farms every year.” That is a lot of chemicals which could harm pollinators and maybe people. This causes, “Bee population to drop 30% since 2006.” (Panna.org, 4-28-16). That is just over ¼ of the bee population, this is not good because bees are the most efficient pollinators we have. We need to find an alternative to pesticides and herbicides so that we don't kill off the pollinators and have to face the consequences that will come.

  Secondly, One consequence of losing pollinators is we would have a big decline in our food. For example, “Without pollinators we would lose ⅓ of our food supply.” (Louie Schwatzberg, 5/9/2011). This is all of the fruits and vegetables that are good for you that we would lose. Another example is, “Approximately 90% of all plants require pollinators to survive.” (Beyond Pesticides, 4-25-16). That includes the vegetables and fruit plants too. Another consequence of losing pollinators is, having to pollinate plants ourselves so that we don't lose all that food that we would if we didn’t have pollinators.

  Lastly, To address the pollinator issue, people need to give awareness about it by forcing companies to change their policies concerning pesticides, habitat loss, and beekeeping. One law that has been changed a little bit ago is, “In 2010 New York changed a law so you can keep bees in the city”. (Noah Wilson Rich, June 2012). Another example of someone trying to make a difference and giving awareness is Barack and Michelle Obama, “At the White House there is home to a hive of about 70,000 bees.” (Lauren Edwards, 5/2/16). That is what some people are doing to help and now it's your turn!

  At Massabesic Middle School we are planting wildflowers and milkweed to promote pollinator habitat. We have taken soil sample of study sites around the school property. We also researched how different seeds need different conditions for soil, sun, and temperature. Pollinators are really important in our environment because we need the food they pollinate to survive, and pollinators keep flowers alive for commercial farmers or gardeners that sell them. Chemicals like pesticides are harming many animals especially pollinators. Pollinators are the most effective and efficient way to pollinate plants and flowers. If pollinators die out the most major problem will be losing our food. That is why we need to do something about the pollinator issue

    You may think the pollinator such as bees, bats, and butterflies are just pesky little creatures constantly getting in your way, but really we are just constantly getting in their way of the flowers. They're helping us out a lot in their own way so therefore we should help them out just as much. Pollinators are helping provide us with the nutrients that we need to survive, so therefore we should be helping them out just as much by saving their habitats and protecting their help. They have been disappearing constantly and it is all our fault. By using toxic pesticides on our gardens and farm fields we are contaminating the pollinators with these pesticides which, which are killing them off. We are also not planting quite enough flowers for the them to be able to get the food (pollen) that they need. For these reasons, the pollinators are dying off and is up to us to help them.

     Pollinators are dying due to how most people are not aware of what they're doing in their everyday lives that is harming these creatures. If they are aware of what bad things they're doing, well, they're not doing much to stop it. The major issue is that there are too many toxic pesticides being used in farms, and even gardens as well. When the bees pick up these pesticides from the plants, they are not only hurting themselves, but they are spreading the disease to the rest of the hive, maybe even the queen, causing the whole colony to die. The second thing that is causing the pollinators to disappear is that there are not enough wildflowers and plants for the pollinators to feed off from. In addition to these reasons, there are many other small things that are causing the pollinators to disappear. According to Newsela, “There are many culprits. One is a change in farming so there’s not enough different kinds of crops and wildflowers for the pollinators.” (Newsela, March 14, 2016). This example demonstrates how it is things that we are doing that is killing off pollinators. In this example, it is that there is not enough food (nectar) for pollinators to survive off from. Bees are picking up unbelievable amounts of pesticides from only a single plant. Marla Spivak explains, “Every batch of pollen that a honey bee collects has at least six detectable pesticides in it.” (Marla Spivak, September 17, 2013). This evidence models how much of these horrible pesticides are out there that we are completely oblivious to. Overall, there are a lot of thing that we are doing, maybe not intentionally, that are causing the pollinators to die off, and these thing must stop.

     Pollinators are extremely important to our environment because they pollinate crops – transferring pollen from one plant to another. Plants can be "hand pollinated”, but when animals do it, not only do the crops come out more lush and full, but it is also much more efficient. Only a small percentage of the plants on Earth are pollinated by wind or water. The rest are all taken care of by the animals. Without pollinators we would not be able to survive, proving that there is an amazingly strong relationship between pollinators and humans. According to an article about native pollinators, animals are a very important part of pollination. The article says, “Approximately 90 percent of all flowering plants require pollinators to survive.” (Unknown Author, April 25, 2016). This evidence illustrates that pollinators are indeed the key to human survival.

     If we lose pollinators, then we lose a substantial amount of our fruit and vegetable crops. If pollinators die off, humans will have to do almost all of the work, and will not even get as nice of a product. Humans rely on pollinators, and pollinators are starting to need to rely on humans just as much. As the pollinators population is declining, our economy is being affected as well. Noah Wilson-Rich explains, “The costs of over 130 fruit and and vegetable crops that we rely on for food is going up in price.” (Noah Wilson-Rich, June, 2012). This is only one example of how much we rely on pollinators for survival and how important they are to our economy and food supply. In conclusion, there are many different consequences to losing pollinators, and we still need to learn just how many horrible effects there are.


     Many things are already being done around the world and in America to save the pollinators, just not quite enough. Some companies, including Lowe's and Home Depot, have even agreed to stop using toxic pesticides or label them that they are toxic when selling them and even start selling organic pesticides like Bacillus Thuringiensis (commonly known as BT) instead. President Obama has even noticed that there is a problem and has taken action. According to Nandita Bose, “In 2014, the White House announced a plan to fund new honey bee habitats and to form a task force to study how to reverse the honeybee declines.” (Nandita Bose, June 9, 2015). This example demonstrates that it is not just a few people that care, but also people with more power, such as in this example, the president. If the White House cares, and we care, then you should care too. Many things are being done about the issue of the pollinators population declining, we need our voices to be heard, and with more people, we can make that happen more easily.

     To address these issues and save the pollinators, people can stop using toxic pesticides in their gardens and farm fields, plant wildflowers in empty field and garden spaces, among a variety of other things. Here at Massabesic Middle School, we are planting wildflowers and vegetable gardens around the school to help provide nectar and pollen for the pollinators. Some countries around the world are already seeing fabulous results. According to, “Many European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Slovenia have already banned neonicotinoids in response to the threat, and beekeepers in these countries report that hives are beginning to recover.” (Author Unknown, May 13, 2016). This models that when you actually do something about the problem, such as banning the dangerous pesticides, a major improvement can occur. The other thing that we can do to help pollinators, planting wildflowers to provide pollen and nectar to the pollinators, is very important as well. An article talking about what we can do to help save pollinators shows us details about this. The article says, “Both nectar and pollen flowers should be available throughout the growing season.” (Unknown Author, May, 2005). This detail illustrates that the pollinators really are having to rely on us for food, just like we are relying on them to produce, through pollination, our food. In the end, there are many things that we can be doing to save the pollinators and these were only a few examples of the really important ones.

     On the other hand, some people believe that pollinators are not the most important key to having food on our plates. They think that pesticides and GMOs are much more important. This is because the pesticides are killing off the bad bugs that are killing the crops, and some believe that this is more important than protecting the good bugs. They think that, though many pesticides can be toxic to bees, neonicotinoids are not part of the problem. Others, though, believe that pesticides are not part of the problem at all. They think that there would be just as many bad results, such as the yield of crops going down just as much as they would if there were not enough pollinators. Some also think that just like if there were no pollinators, the price of many foods would go up and the nutrition levels of foods would go down. According to Hembree Brandon, “Without herbicides, the most widely-used class of pesticides in the United States, crop production and yields would drop, pristine habitat would have to be plowed under to accommodate more crop acres, and the additional cultivation would result in more soil erosion, said Leonard Gianessi of the National Center for Food & Ag Policy.” (Hembree Brandon, May 3, 2002). This shows that there are many cons to getting rid of pesticides as well as many pros. In the end, you just have to sort out who it is that you agree with.

     Overall, pollinators are very important key to our survival. They help us by transforming the simple blossoms of flowers into lush, full, fruits and vegetables. Pollinators are helping provide us with the nutrients that we need for survival so in return we should be protecting their health and habitat just as much. They provide us with nutrients by carrying the pollen from one flower to another in a process known as pollination. These animals are disappearing rapidly and it is up to us to help them. They are dying due to how they are losing habitat because of buildings being put up. Also, a lack of wildflowers and plants, because of a change in farming (not enough of a variety of crops being planted) is causing pollinator population decline as well. Thankfully, many things are already being done to protect the pollinators, not just in the United States, but in other countries as well. Some of these things are limiting toxic pesticides and providing more wildflowers and vegetables, which provide food for the pollinators. The places around the world that are making these changes are seeing very impressive results. There are many different opinions about whether or not pesticides are dangerous or not. I believe that a lot of pesticides can be toxic and cause horrible things to happen. Others, though, if they are good for the environment can be necessary and have many pros in farming and gardening.  You just have to make sure that you are using the good pesticides that are good for the environment and that you are using them in the correct ways. No matter what you are doing, you just have to make sure that you have a good balance of doing what is right for the environment, our economy, and our pollinators.

Pollinators in Decline: Causes and Effects

Pollinators in Decline: Causes and Effects
Written by Maia Alling

     Pollinators are in charge of pollinating many food crops and wildflowers. They help supply us with food, beverages, medicine, and spices produced by plants. Without pollinators, humans would not be able to live the way we do now - we would not be able to walk into a grocery store and see the variety of healthy foods anymore. It is important to realize that humans and other creatures depend on pollinators for their overall health, and ultimately their own survival.
     First of all, it is critical for people to understand exactly what pollinators are and what they do. A pollinator can be defined as any creature who pollinates flowers and crops, but the most popular species of pollinators are bats, birds, bees, and butterflies. Some species of pollinators are more efficient at their job than others, as “In a small apple orchard, 250 females of a kind of native bee called the blue orchard bee can do the work of 35,000 honey bees.” (National Wildlife Foundation) This is just one example of how native pollinators are usually quicker and more efficient at pollinating than their non-native counterparts. Yet, non-native or native, all pollinators should be equally appreciated and considered important.
     However, pollinators are starting to die out at an alarming rate. One example of this is how “beekeepers lost 42 percent of their colonies between April 2014 and 2015.” (The Washington Post) If the bees are dying so suddenly, and so quickly, there is obviously a major problem with the way we treat pollinators. For example, humans have been increasing the use of monoculture farming methods (growing only one type of crop over a large strip of land) which limits the quantity and variety of food available for pollinators. Also, research has shown that using harsh chemicals or pesticides on flowers and crops can cause bees’ brains to become severely damaged, leaving them unable to find their way back to the hive and ultimately causing “Colony Collapse Disorder,” or killing the bees upon ingestion of the pesticides. (Maria Spivak)
     Pursuing this further, pollinators are becoming extinct due to anthropogenic mistreatment and humans will have to face the consequences. Pollinators are vital to the survival of multiple plant and animal species, including humans. For an example, if wildflowers and fruit-bearing plants are not pollinated, creatures that depend on vegetation for food will die out, resulting in humans having less reliable sources of protein from meat. Pollinators also help provide more than ⅓ of the world’s food supply, (Maria Spivak) and pollinate 75% of the crops grown worldwide. (National Resource Conservation Service) Without pollinators, humans and other animal species will not be able to survive due to a corrupt food chain.
     To summarize, numerous plant and animal species, including humans, would not be able to survive without pollinators. Pollinators are dying out due to increasing popularity of monoculture farming methods and continued use of harsh chemicals and pesticides. If we continue to let this happen, pollinators will eventually be completely wiped out, resulting in a corrupt food chain and the slow extinction of the human race.
     Fortunately, it is not too late to prevent this disastrous outcome. People can help supply pollinators with the proper shelter and food they need to survive by avoiding the use of harmful chemicals on flowers and crops, planting a pollinator garden complete with wildflowers and milkweed in their backyard, or just by simply spreading awareness about this issue. Here at Massabesic Middle School, team Carrabassett is planting a pollinator garden to encourage the survival of pollinators native to our state of Maine. It is possible to reverse the damage we have done to pollinators. If we take action now, we could be saving the human race from extinction.

                                                           Pollinators

 
   Pollinators have an important role in the community and the environment. Both plants and people need pollinators, without pollinators, our food sources would be very sparse because pollinators supply a lot of food for us. Pollinators play a major role in the environment, plants need them, people need them. Overall, pollinators provide a food source for humans.
   One example is, pesticides, varroa mites, and human activities are causing pollinators to die. People have been spraying pesticides on their plants to help them grow, but unfortunately, it is causing harm to pollinators. Varroa mites are also harmful to pollinators, they attach on to the bees’ backs and kill them. They attach onto the bees’ backs by the varroa mites already being on the plants. Finally, human activities are causing pollinators to die, by paving, building and so on. For example, “Many species of wild bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are heading towards extinction.” (Associated Press, March 14, 2016) It would be a big deal if pollinators became extinct because they provide our food sources.
   Another example is, pollinators are very important, without them ⅓ of our food supply would be gone. Pollinators pick up pollen by traveling from plant to plan. While they are doing that, the pollen gets on to the bees’ back and stomach. They then bring the pollen back to their hive. Here are some examples of foods that need pollinators, “Cucumbers, carrots, melons, apricots, plums, apples, blueberries and more, depend on pollinators.” (Unknown, April 25, 2016) Pollinators play a huge role in our environment.
   The next example is, there is a big consequence of losing pollinators. There would not be nearly as much food as there is now. Also, the plants need the pollinators just as much as us. Here is an example of how many plants need pollinators to live, “Approximately 90% of plants need those pollinators to survive.” (Unknown, April 25, 2016) Plants need the pollinators, people need pollinators, the pollinators are a big part in our community and the environment.
   Another reason is, a couple things are being done to address the pollinator issue. Laws are starting to change. For example, companies are starting to change the amount of pesticide usage. Also, in 2010 New York started being allowed to beekeep. For example, “Beekeeping was illegal in New York until 2010.”(TED Talk, June, 2012) There are a lot of bee hives in New York now, and that is a good things because we need pollinators.
   The next reason is, we are being activists at Massabesic Middle School by planting our butterfly habitat so we can help the pollinators. We can address these issues by planting what the pollinators need to pollinate. “We need to plant what the pollinators need, to get food.” (Associated Press, March 14, 2016) We need the pollinators, or else our food sources would be very sparse, so to help the pollinators we are planting a butterfly garden.
   In conclusion, pollinators play a huge role in the environment, plants need the pollinators, people need pollinators. Overall, pollinators provide a food source for humans. For example, pesticides, varroa mites, and human activities are causing pollinators to die, without pollinators ⅓ of our food would be gone, plants also need pollinators, laws are starting to change, and, by planting our butterfly habitat at MMS we can help the pollinators. Pollinators play an important role in our community and the environment.

Pollinator issue
Written by: Madison Bors

     We may not think about other pollinators like the humming bird or the ladybug, but they are still a very important part of pollination. We also may not think about that pollinators providing humans with a healthy food source. However, they even play a very important role in pollinating flowers that grow into plants designed for human consumption.  Pollinators are dying off due to the issue of harsh chemicals and pesticide use. Also, we should realize that pollinators play a great role in our everyday lives.
 
    First off, We need to realize that pollinators are dying off very quickly around the globe due to the use of pesticides that affect the pollinators health and pollination skills. They are also dying from habitat loss and destruction. Even the mite, called the Varroa Mite is spreading at an alarming rate through North America  and South America. For example, wild pollinators have suffered Multiple Anthropogenic Insults which is a combination of habitat destruction, fragmentation, and pesticide use. It is very important to understand that buildings and companies have built right on top of habitats, destroying the habitats, of different types of animals including a lot of important food providing pollinators, and we all deserve to know that pesticide use isn't the major issue we are concerned about. We are concerned about the chemicals that pesticides contain. These chemicals affect the pollinators work habits.
 
      So now that you know, what is killing off these important food proving pollinators you should know what they do for us. So, pollinators are sometimes underestimated, but don't let their size or shape trick you. Pollinators such as bats, birds, bees, and butterflies, along with a wide variety of other insects, pollinate our flowers and different types of plants so that we have fresh fruits and veggies on our plates, and they also provide not only humans, but also animals with a food source. For example, bees pollinate 75% of crops in the U.S. This shows just how much pollinators, especially bees, really do for us. Overall, they make it so all living things are healthy and well.

      Now that you know, what pollinators do for us, you can see that without pollinators we would not have a healthy food source, neither would animals for that matter. For example, without pollinators ⅓ of the food we eat today would be gone.We would also be left without pollinated plants and flowers. Losing pollinators would have a negative impact on humans and the environment. Another thing is, if we lost pollinators we would have to have to hand pollinate with a cue-tip. For example, take in consideration the sparrows in China. This is shows how hard our life routine would really be like without pollinators.

   In conclusion, we can lower pesticide use and be more careful about the products we use that could eventually lead to pollinator extinction. We can also realize how important bees are to the environment and you should surely see now how difficult it would be without pollinators. So next time you see a pollinator whether it is a bee, a butterfly, a bat, or a bird make sure you realize how much it really does for you and your environment. Also, make sure you never underestimate a pollinator for its size or shape. Maybe when you see a pollinator the next time, think to yourself what can I do to help?
 

Pollinators play an important role in our environment by giving us food. Every second of every day of every year, countless other creatures. Pollinators carry pollen from flower to flower. The pollen fertilizes the flower, which allows them to make seeds and fruits. They do this by assistly but the fertilization of plants when human and animals consume.

    Pollinators are dying do to pesticides and the varroa mites. Every batch of pollen grain has about six pesticides in them. One example is,“ some soil contains neonicotinoid pesticides at levels that could harm or even kill the bees” ( unknown, June 9, 2015 ). In 1942, there were 4.5 million bees but in 2000 there were about 2 million bees. The varroa mites also kills bees by sucks bees blood and circulates virus but bees can’t get them off because they have no hands and if they use their stinger they die. They are also dying off do to habitat loss, “ many remaining habitats degraded by invasive plant species making them less suitable for native pollinators and other wildlife.

     Pollinators help spread pollen by traveling plant to plant. Some insects are famous for munching huge number of pests. A ladybug, for example may eat 500 aphids before it grows up. Aphides are  sape sucking insects that are also known as plant lice. Without pollinators ⅓ of our food supply would be gone. Another example is, “ all these species with humans rely on pollinators to do their jobs. Some estimate put the value of pollinating at roughly $15 billion a year,” ( Newsela staff, 6-5-15 ). More than 200,000 different species of animals around the world act as pollinators.


     One consequence of losing pollinators population includes a decreased amount of food for humans. One effect of losing pollinators is hand pollination and in the u.s. you would get paid $7.50 an hour. That isn't a lot of money. An example is, “ 90% of all flowering plants require pollinators to survive,” ( unknown, 4-25-16 ). Another example is, “ we are in a period of decline and there are going to be increasing consequences,” said report's lead author Simon Potts.

      To address the pollinators issue, people have to bring awareness by facing companies to change their policies concerning pollinators. On May 19, the Obama administration announced the first national strategy to promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators. An example is, “ W. Atlee Burpee & company has donated more than one million seed packets to different places around the country,” ( Newsela staff, 6-5-15 ). In 2010 New York started to have beekeeping because it was illegal till 2010.

       At Massabesic middle school we are planting wildflower and milkweed to produce pollinators habitats. Our school for the past couple months has collected data, soil samples and more that twenty websites. We have been learning about companies like Monsanto, Home Depot,Walmart, Lowe's and how they're hurting our environment. They're more that 4,000 species of pollinators in America, and our team want to help the pollinators in New England. We're excited to learn more about the connection between companies and the environment.

      In conclusion pollinators give us more than 75% of the world’s crops. Pollinators are dying off due to  pesticides and the varroa mites that sucks out all the the bees blood. Pollinators can travel more than 60 miles delivering pollen from flower to flower. In 58 years we’ve lost more than 2.5 million bees. People need to bring awareness about pollinators because one day we will not have them. You could help the pollinators by doing what my assay told you.

          Earth's pollinators are endanger of becoming extinct. Without them we could
starve or lose our flowers. No one ever thinks that pollinators are one of our most important animals that we need to survive. We need these pollinators because without them we could lose up to one-third of our food supply. They also help our plant’s flowers grow and fruit to blossom. This is why we need to have pollinators on Earth.

          My first reason why pollinators are dying is, because of all the pesticides people are
using on plants. My evidence for this is, that scientists are experimenting on bees to see if different pesticides have different effects on bees. I know this because of a scientist named, (Wilson Rich). Some pollinators specifically Honey Bees are dying because of an insect called the, Varroa Mite. The Varroa Mite latches on to the bees back and sucks the blood from the bee and causes the bee to die due to the loss of blood.

          Pollinators are important because they move pollen from flower to flower and
plant to plant. If the pollinator didn't spread the pollen most plants would not produce seeds or fruit. Bees are one of the top pollinators for America’s food crops. They pollinate by traveling from plant to plant while they are eating and collecting nectar. The bees do not know they are pollinating because the flower applies the pollen onto the bees back. And when we spray our plants with pesticides the pesticides get on the pollen, which gets on the bee. When the bee gets in the hive the pesticides come off the bee and onto another and it continues to spread all around the world.

          The consequences of losing pollinators is that we would lose some our food
supply. Around 80% of crops need pollination. Losing pollinators would lead to less flowers. The flowers would just sprout and not grow the fruit or vegetables. One example of losing pollinators is pesticides. The pesticides makes the bees less productive and can kill them. They wouldn't collect their food in time and they would starve. This would limit pollinating and force us to do self pollinate.

          To address the pollinator issue some states are changing their laws. In some
states it is now legal to do beekeeping. For example, in 2010 New York passed a law making beekeeping legal. The pollinator decline effected America in 1987. Some companies have changed the way they grow their flowers. For example, Lowe’s creating labels and putting them on plants that have been exposed to pesticides. They have also reduced the amount of pesticides they’ve been using.

          Massabesic Middle School is addressing this issue of decreasing pollinators by
raising awareness. Another example of us raising awareness is learning about it, studying it, and sharing our knowledge other students. One example of us raising awareness is we are making a butterfly garden.The butterfly garden will attract other pollinators besides bees and butterflies. These are some examples on how Massabesic Middle School is raising awareness about the pollinator decline.

          In conclusion, pollinators are becoming extinct. They are dying because of
pesticides and the Varroa Mite. Pollinators help our plants and flowers grow. They do this by traveling from plant to plant. Losing pollinators would limit our food supply. To keep this from happening some states have changed their laws, companies are also changing the use of pesticides. Learning about pollinators and sharing our knowledge will hopefully change the pollinator issue.