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The Importance of Pollinators
Pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems, productive agriculture, and thriving communities. Bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, birds, and other pollinating animals help flowering plants reproduce by transferring pollen between flowers, allowing plants to produce fruits, seeds, and future generations of plants.
Nearly 90 percent of flowering plants and more than two thirds of global food crops depend on animal pollinators. Beyond supporting the production of many fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, pollinators help sustain the trees, wildflowers, and other plants that provide food and habitat for wildlife, protect soil and water resources, and contribute to healthy, resilient landscapes.
Despite their importance, many pollinator populations face challenges from habitat loss, invasive species, pests and diseases, pesticide exposure, and changing environmental conditions. Creating and maintaining pollinator habitat is one of the most effective ways individuals and communities can help support these species. By planting diverse flowering plants, providing nesting and overwintering habitat, and adopting pollinator-friendly gardening practices, we can help sustain healthy pollinator populations and the ecological, agricultural, and community benefits they provide.
Ready to apply for certification
Create a Pollinator Habitat
FOOD DIVERSITY
A Buffet of Blooms
Plant a "succession of blooms" from early spring through late fall. Aim for at least three different native plants for each season. Using a variety of shapes and colors ensures every local pollinator finds the specific nutrients they need. Choose tubular flowers for hummingbirds and flat-topped clusters for butterflies.
WATER SOURCE
Safe Hydration
Provide a consistent water source for drinking and nest-building. If you don't have a natural source in a pond, lake or stream create a source with a birdbath or puddling dish. Add stones or marbles as "landing pads" to prevent drowning, and refresh the water twice weekly to keep it clean and mosquito-free.
Note: A water source is not required for certification
Image credit: Nikokvfrmoto/stock.adobe.com
SHELTER
Nesting & Overwintering Sites
To provide nesting and overwintering sites, leave some areas of your garden a little messy. Keep hollow-stemmed plants standing through the winter, leave a patch of bare, undisturbed soil for ground-nesting bees, and wait until late spring to clear away leaf litter. These natural materials provide the essential insulation and protection pollinators need to survive the New Hampshire winter.
Image credit: Volha/stock.adobe.com
PESTICIDE FREE
Safe Habitat
Protecting your habitat means minimizing or eliminating the use of chemical pesticides, especially "systemic" insecticides like neonicotinoids which can remain in plant tissues for a long time. Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by focusing on hand-picking pests or using physical barriers first.
Planting for Pollinators: Making the Best Choice
Natives, Nativars, and Cultivars: What’s the Difference?
RUDBECKIA LACINIATA
Native Plants
The original wild form of the plant. Native plants are the natural food source for native pollinators. They have co-evolved with local insects, offering the most reliable food sources. Adapted to our New England climate and soil, they are resilient and hardy making them easy care plants.
Image credit: Amy Mitchell/stock.adobe.com
RUDBECKIA HIRTA "CHERRY BRANDY"
Nativars
These are plants bred from the native species for a specific trait like flower color or size. Some nativars have similar value as natives while others may have lower-quality nectar or foliage that caterpillars can no longer eat.
Image credit: Serbian Teacher/stock.adobe.com
RUDBECKIA LACINIATA "GOLDQUELLE"
Cultivars
Cultivars are bred for better disease resistance, strong root systems, seed germination, and human aesthetics like double blooms and altered colors. Some have less pollen or nectar, double blooms making the pollen inaccessible or may be unrecognizable to pollinators.
Certification Tip: While they can add beauty to your landscape, cultivars do not count toward the requirement of 3 flowering food sources for each season.
Image credit: Corry Anne/stock.adobe.com
Meet the Pollinators
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Bees & Wasps
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
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Butterflies
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
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Beetles
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
Image credit: Dmitry Zhukov/stock.adobe.com
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Birds
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
Image credit: Steve Byland/stock.adobe.com
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Moths & Flies
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
Image credit: Alina (Harris) Cypher / Sideman Lab
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Mammals
New Hampshire is home to a broad diversity of more than 350 species of wild bees. These are our most active pollinators.
Join the Certified Pollinator Garden Community
When you certify your garden or landscape through The UNH Extension Pollinator-Friendly Garden Certification Program, you become part of a growing community committed to creating meaningful habitat for pollinators through sustainable, science-based practices. Grounded in research, education, and shared learning, the program supports gardeners of all experience levels in contributing to the health and diversity of native pollinators. From plant selection to pollinator-friendly management practices, this application will guide you in planning, refining, and developing your garden into a safe, resilient habitat for native bees and other pollinating insects.
UNH Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers are here to help you along the way. Whether you have questions about gardening, pollinators, or about the certification program, we welcome your questions. To reach out, email us at pollinator.gardens@unh.edu, call us at (603) 351-3831 or reach us through our webform at extension.unh.edu/ask.
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