06/17/2014 11:09 AM EDT
Happy Pollinators Week! These hard-working animals help pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of our crops. Often we may not notice the hummingbirds, bats, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies that carry pollen from one plant to another as they collect nectar. Yet without them, wildlife would have fewer nutritious berries and seeds, and we would miss many fruits, vegetables, and nuts, like blueberries, squash, and almonds … not to mention chocolate and coffee…all of which depend on pollinators. To learn more, click here.
Here’s a cool photo of two hummingbirds doing battle over territory at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge.
Photo: Sarah Chah