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Pollinators: A Talk About The Birds And The Bees And Everything In Between

butterfly
Pete Rightmire
/
WVXU
Pollinators are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food.

Without pollinators, our food supply would collapse. Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.

There has been an alarming decline in pollinators worldwide, but, primarily because of the plight of honeybees and monarchs, more people are becoming aware of how critical pollinators are to the planet. And more people are planting gardens to attract and sustain them.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's Plant for Pollinators Challenge was launched in March to encourage people to grow pollinator-friendly plants. Its goal is to increase pollinator habitat in Greater Cincinnati, and the zoo hopes to register at least 500 pollinator gardens this first year.

Joining Cincinnati Edition to discuss the importance of pollinators and the Plant for Pollinators Challenge are Assistant Professor in The Ohio State University Department of Entomology and Ohio State Extension Agent for Hamilton County, Joe Boggs; and from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (@CincinnatiZoo), Manager of Interpretive Exhibits, Visitor Research, Conservation Communications & Fun, Shasta Bray (@ShastaBray), and Manager of Botanical Garden Outreach Scott Beuerlein. Scott also writes columns for both Horticulture Magazine, Ohio Gardener Magazine, and the Garden Rant blog.

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Michael Monks brings a broad range of experience to WVXU-FM as the host of Cincinnati Edition, Cincinnati Public Radio's weekday news and information talk show.