National Pollinator Week: Teaching kids the real birds and bees
Parents can offer kids a perfect out-of-school science lesson by teaching them how flowers grow, thanks to the work of bugs and other animals that pollinate.
Honeybees populate a comb at Honey Hill Orchard in Waterman, Ill. on June 5.
Danielle Guerra/Daily Chronicle/AP
June 16-22 is聽. It鈥檚 a week to celebrate and educate about pollinating animals, such as bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, and others, which are extremely vital to our ecosystem. Pollinators support much of our wildlife, lands and watersheds.
According to the US Forest Service, nearly 80 percent of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world that produce all of our food and plant-based industrial products require pollination by animals.
There are many simple ways to welcome pollinators into our home gardens and other outdoor spaces. In addition to helping the earth鈥檚 ecosystem and food supply, you鈥檒l also experience the fascination and wonder that comes from observing the animals you attract. Here are a few ways to get more involved:
听迟丑谤辞耻驳丑听, a wonderful resource about pollinators year-round.
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Check out NWF gardeners鈥櫬�.
Find more information about聽聽from the聽.
Join the聽聽and many other聽聽that allow you to help researchers right from your own backyard or a local park.
听补苍诲听听补肠迟颈惫颈迟测.
Make a quick and easy聽聽to attract and observe birds.
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