Rose Pest Solutions stresses importance of protecting pollinators

Mark VanderWerp, BCE, manager of education and training for Rose Pest Solutions, performs a honeybee ceiling void extraction. PHOTO: ROSE PEST SOLUTIONS

As the world observes National Pollinator Week from June 20-26, Rose Pest Solutions is stressing the importance of promoting and maintaining ecosystems that appeal to bees, butterflies and other pollinator species.

The company helps spread the word about the importance of preserving pollinators and the impact they have on the environment while employing a careful practice of exclusion that helps pollinating insects thrive.

According to the Pollinator Partnership, 75 percent to 95 percent of all flowering plants need help with pollination, and pollinator insects are key to transferring pollen with healthy and productive agricultural ecosystems. Honeybees are among the beneficial insects that pollinate more than 180,000 different plant species. Studies show the average honeybee colony can produce 100 pounds of honey  with total agricultural production reaching between $1.2 billion and $5.4 billion annually.

“Rose Pest Solutions recognizes the importance of beneficial insects in our ecosystem and that is why we are dedicated to promoting and protecting pollinating insects,” said Mark VanderWerp, BCE, manager of education and training for Rose Pest Solutions. “The honeybee is well-studied and well-known but in fact is only one of hundreds of bee species we have in the region. Many of our insects are crucial to preserve and protect and are not species that create pest problems.”

In serving commercial and residential customers, Rose Pest Solutions works to protect beneficial pollinators. If a honeybee hive or nest is discovered on a client’s property, the company takes steps to safely relocate the colony if possible. This may involve working alongside local beekeepers or relying on Rose Pest Solutions’ internal team of experts that have relocated live honeybee colonies in the past.

Rose technicians give their customers the following tips to help pollinators thrive:

• Plant native flowers and flowering species whenever possible in gardens that will bloom at various times of the year – spring, summer and autumn.
• Place colorful flowers in clusters to make bee foraging more efficient.
• Create a pollinator-friendly habitat realizing that, in addition to nectar and pollen, various species will need other things, such as bare soil or log piles to nest in, and (in the case of butterflies) other host plants for the caterpillars.
• Reduce pesticide use, and rewild some spaces if you own land (hint: a manicured lawn is not a green space that many species can utilize).
• Educate neighbors, schools, and community groups about the importance of pollinators.
• Do not establish a beehive in your yard without the instruction and support of a trained beekeeper.