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The animals that we call pollinators are not grouped under that term because of a shared genetic heritage, but because of a shared function they perform in the ecosystem. Just as we often do not recognise the full breadth of the weird and wonderful creatures pollinating the flowers around us, they don’t know they are pollinators - they are just busy living their best lives.
Pollination is the essential process in plant reproduction where pollen grains are deposited on a receptive flower, fertilising the flower and leading to the production of seed. Not all plants need to be pollinated to proliferate, but most plant populations rely on pollination to persist because the mixing of genes gives them greater resilience to changing conditions.
Looking after our native pollinators requires more than just planting wildflower mixes; they need thriving populations of the native flowering plants that they have evolved alongside, their habitats need to be protected and restored, and careful use of agrichemicals is required to minimise their negative impact on these special creatures.
The Native Pollinators stamp issue highlights four crucial critters – the kawakawa looper moth, the native bee/ngāro huruhuru, the flower longhorn beetle and the large hoverfly.
Date of issue: 6 November 2024