Meet your local pollinators: bees, flies and even mosquitoes

Say the word "pollinator" and what comes to mind?

Most likely, a honey bee.

But the bee shouldn't get the antlion's share of attention. There's a big world of other pollinators out there, including a whole lot of flies.

Flies comprise a fascinating array of insects. There are more than 150,000 kinds of flies, distributed worldwide. They live in arid climates and wet climates, hot climates and cold climates, in lowlands and mountains.

With this amount of diversity, you can bet they play an important role in ecology.

Flies belong to a large group of insects known as Diptera. They're characterized by having just two wings, instead of four. Many have features such as long tongues and specialized mouthparts - all the better to sip nectar with.

"Diptera have been documented to be primary pollinators for many plant species, both wild and cultivated," according to a website dedicated to these insects.

Consider mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are flies, and very unpopular flies at that. They are notorious bloodsucking pests, but they don't all drink blood. Those that do don't drink blood all the time. Only gravid females - those that are ready to deposit eggs - feed on blood. All others - male and female - have an eclectic diet, including nectar. In the process of drinking nectar, they move pollen from plant to plant.

Certain species of mosquitoes pollinate wildflowers in the orchid and iris families.

For example, an Aedes mosquito is a major pollinator of the blunt-leaved orchid of the far north (Wisconsin to northern Canada). In Europe, a species of mosquito pollinates a wildflower called Spanish catchfly.

Closer to home, there's a cool fly that appears in early spring to pollinate wildflowers. It's called a hoverfly, because - you guessed it - it hovers over flowers as it sips nectar. You'll see it on wildflowers such as spring beauty and bloodroot in early April and May.

It's often mistaken for a bee because it has yellow-and-black stripes. Mimicry is a defense against would-be predators who have learned to steer clear of bees. If you want to be sure it's a fly and not a bee, check out the wings. Hoverflies have only two wings, while bees have four.

Hoverflies are very active - and they rarely stay still for photographs. They dart from flower to flower, working the crowd all day, as long as there's sunshine.

Once sufficiently fueled up on nectar, adult hoverflies mate and produce eggs, which develop into larvae and pupae. In these youthful stages (in other words, when they're maggots), hoverflies are highly predacious.

One ecological plus about hoverfly maggots is that they eat lots of aphids. Aphids are plant-sucking insects that can wreak havoc on plant populations. By eating aphids, hoverflies play an important role in biological control.

Horseflies - those nasty, big-eyed flies with a painful bite - are pollinators, too.

It's the females we dislike. Like mosquitoes, the females needs a blood meal when laying eggs. Their mouthparts are downright wicked, designed like scissors for ripping skin. Quite the contrary with male horseflies. Their mouthparts are designed like straws, only to sip nectar from flowers. As nectar-feeders, they pollinate many different species of plants.

A wide variety of other flies pollinate plants that end up at the farm stand. The carrot family is a favorite of flies in a group called the syrphid flies - which includes the hover fly, and a cool little creature called a bee fly. They pollinate herbs like caraway, coriander, and fennel. Flies also pollinate pear tree flowers, giving us pears from the orchard, and exotic fruit like mangoes and avocados. So, you can thank a fly for your guacamole.

For most people, though, the most important fly is a tiny midge that pollinates the cocoa tree. Cocoa - from which comes chocolate - grows in subtropical rain forests. Its small flowers are intricate, and it takes a specialized insect to navigate its way through the flower to reach the nectar. A midge is the perfect insect for the job. Aptly named the chocolate midge, this minuscule fly drinks its fill deep down in the cocoa flower, then visits another while carrying a tiny bit of pollen. If that pollen successfully meets the female part of the second flower, a cocoa bean is produced. Just think - your Hershey bar is made possible by a fly.

Flies deserve more recognition as pollinators. The decline in honey bee populations is reason to consider the diversity of pollinators in the wild. It's worth paying attention to these "underdogs" of the pollinator world. If not for the sake of orchids in the wild, then for ice cream sundaes.

Valerie Blaine is a naturalist with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. You may contact her at blainevalerie@kaneforest.com

Celebrate Pollinator Week with the Pop-Up Naturalist

Pollinators are animals that move pollen from one plant to another. They come in all stripes, from bees to bats and butterflies. The job they do allows plants to make seeds, which means more plants. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the medicines we take are made possible by pollinators. Pollinators are heroes.

June 20-26 is National Pollinator Week, designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior. It's a time to celebrate pollinators worldwide. The Forest Preserve District of Kane County offers many opportunities to learn about the fascinating world of pollinators.

The district's "Pop-up Naturalist" is a traveling program. The naturalist staff will set up a tent with children's activities, information, and tips on protecting pollinators. The Pop-Up Naturalist will appear at different forest preserves throughout the week, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Look for us at these forest preserves during the day:

Monday, June 20: Fabyan Forest Preserve, Route 25 and Fabyan Parkway, Geneva (near Fabyan Windmill)

Tuesday, June 21: Dick Young Forest Preserve, 2S326 Nelson Lake Road, Batavia

Wednesday, June 22: Oakhurst Forest Preserve, 1680 Fifth Ave., Aurora

Thursday, June 23: Big Rock Forest Preserve, 46W072 Jericho Road, Big Rock

Friday, June 24: LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles

Call (630) 444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com for information.