This month we are talking about some insect pollinators other than bees, butterflies, and moths.
Beetles are one of the oldest flower pollinators. In 2019, a beetle coated with pollen was identified in an amber sample from 100 million years ago, and scientists believe both beetles and flies pollinated flowers as far back as 150 million years ago, long before bees evolved.
Even today, beetles are the chief pollinators of magnolias, one of the oldest living trees. Beetles are messy pollinators. They eat through leaves and petals to get to the pollen, so some beetle-pollinated plants have evolved to have thicker flowers and leaves in response.
For more information on how you can bring more beetle pollinators to your yard, visit xerces.org.