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Pollination by insects is called entomophily. Entomophily is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects, particularly bees, Lepidoptera (e.g. butterflies and moths), flies and beetles. Note that honey bees will pollinate many plant species that are not native to areas where honey bees occur, and are often inefficient pollinators of such plants.
Please note that plants that require insect pollination to produce seeds do not necessarily require pollination to grow from seed into food. The carrot is an example.
| Common name | Latin name | Pollinator | Commercial product of pollination |
Pollinator impact |
number of honey bee hives per acre |
Geography of cultivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okra | Abelmoschus esculentus | Honey bees (incl. Apis cerana), Solitary bees (Halictus spp.) | fruit | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Kiwifruit | Actinidia deliciosa | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 4-essential | ||
| Bucket orchid | Coryanthes | Male Euglossini bees (Orchid bees) | ||||
| Onion | Allium cepa | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Cashew | Anacardium occidentale | Honey bees, Stingless bees, bumblebees, Solitary bees (Centris tarsata), Butterflies, flies, hummingbirds | nut | 3-great | tropical | |
| Atemoya, Cherimoya, Custard apple | Annona squamosa | Nitidulid beetles | fruit | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Celery | Apium graveolens | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies | seed | temperate | ||
| Strawberry tree | Arbutus unedo | Honey bees, bumblebees | fruit | 2-modest | ||
| Pawpaw | Asimina triloba | Carrion flies, Dung flies | fruit | 4-essential | temperate | |
| Carambola, Starfruit | Averrhoa carambola | Honey bees, Stingless bees | fruit | 3-great | tropical | |
| Brazil nut | Bertholletia excelsa | Bumblebees, Orchid bees (Euglossini), Carpenter bees | nut | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Beet | Beta vulgaris | Hover flies, Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 1-little | temperate | |
| Mustard | Brassica alba, Brassica hirta, Brassica nigra | Honey bees, Solitary bees (Osmia cornifrons, Osmia lignaria) | seed | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Rapeseed | Brassica napus | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Broccoli | Brassica oleracea cultivar | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Cauliflower | Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Cabbage | Brassica oleracea Capitata Group | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Brussels sprouts | Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Chinese cabbage | Brassica rapa | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Turnip, Canola | Brassica rapa | Honey bees, Solitary bees (Andrena ilerda, Osmia cornifrons, Osmia lignaria, Halictus spp.), flies | seed | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Pigeon pea, Cajan pea, Congo bean | Cajanus cajan | Honey bees, solitary bees (Megachile spp.), Carpenter bees | seed | 1-little | ||
| Jack bean, Horse bean, Sword bean | Canavalia spp. | Solitary bees, Carpenter bees (Xylocopa confusa) | seed | 2-modest | ||
| Chile pepper, Red pepper, Bell pepper, Green pepper | Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens | Honey bees, stingless bees (Melipona spp.), bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies | fruit | 1-little (pollinators important in green houses to increase fruit weight, but less in open fields) | ||
| Papaya | Carica papaya | Honey bees, thrips, large sphinx moths, Moths, Butterflies | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Safflower | Carthamus tinctorius | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 1-little | ||
| Caraway | Carum carvi | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies | seed | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Chestnut | Castanea sativa | Honey bees, Solitary bees | nut | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Star apple, Cainito | Chrysophyllum cainito | Insects, bats | fruit | 1-little | tropical | |
| Watermelon | Citrullus lanatus | Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees | fruit | 4-essential | 1-3 | temperate |
| Tangerine | Citrus reticulata | Honey bees, bumblebees | fruit | 1-little | sub-tropical | |
| Tangelo | Citrus spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees | fruit | 1-little | sub-tropical | |
| Coconut | Cocos nucifera | Honey bees, Stingless bees | nut | 2-modest | tropical | |
| Coffea spp. Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora | Coffea spp. | Honey bees, Stingless bees, Solitary bees | fruit | 2-modest | tropical | |
| Cola nut | Cola nitida, Cola vera, Cola acuminata | flies | nut | 3-great | ||
| Coriander | Coriandrum sativum | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 3-great | ||
| Crownvetch | Coronilla varia L. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed (increased yield from pollinators) | temperate | ||
| Hazelnut | Corylus cornuta var. californica | Wind pollinated. | nut | temperate | ||
| Azarole | Crataegus azarolus | Honey bees, Solitary bees | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Cantaloupe, Melon | Cucumis melo L. | Honey bees, Squash bees, bumblebees, Solitary bees (Ceratina spp.) | fruit | 4-essential | 2-4 | temperate |
| Cucumber | Cucumis sativus | Honey bees, Squash bees, Bumblebees, Leafcutter bee (in greenhouse pollination), Solitary bees (for some parthenocarpic gynoecious green house varieties pollination is detrimental to fruit quality) | fruit | 3-great | 1-2 | temperate |
| Squash (plant), Pumpkin, Gourd, Marrow, Zuchini | Cucurbita spp. | Honey bees, Squash bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 4-essential | 1 | temperate |
| Guar bean, Goa bean | Cyamopsis tetragonoloba | Honey bees | seed | 1-little | ||
| Quince | Cydonia oblonga Mill. | Honey bees | fruit | temperate | ||
| Lemon | Honey bees | fruit | temperate | |||
| Lime | Honey bees | fruit | temperate | |||
| Carrot | Daucus carota | Flies, Solitary bees, Honey bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Hyacinth bean | Dolichos spp. | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 2-modest | ||
| Longan | Dimocarpus longan | Honey bees, Stingless bees | 1-little | |||
| Persimmon | Diospyros kaki, Diospyros virginiana | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Durian | Durio zibethinus | Bats, birds | 3-great | tropical | ||
| Oil palm | Elaeis guineensis | Weevils, thrips | seed | 1-little | tropical | |
| Cardamom | Elettaria cardamomum | Honey bees, Solitary bees | 3-great | |||
| Loquat | Eriobotrya japonica | Honey bees, Bumblebees | fruit | 3-great | ||
| Buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Feijoa | Feijoa sellowiana | Honey bees, Solitary bees | fruit | 3-great | tropical | |
| fig | Ficus spp. | Fig wasps (incl. Blastophaga psenes) | fruit (syconium) | 2-modest | sub-tropical | |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies | seed | 3-great | temperate | |
| Strawberry | Fragaria spp. | Honey bees, Stingless bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees (Halictus spp.), Hover flies | fruit | 2-modest | 1 | temperate |
| Soybean | Glycine max, Glycine soja | Honey bees, bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Stanhopea | Stanhopea | Male Euglossini bees (Orchid bees) | ||||
| Cotton | Gossypium spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed, fiber | 2-modest | ||
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Honey bees, bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 2-modest | 1 | temperate |
| Walnut | Juglans spp. | Wind pollinated. | nut | temperate | ||
| Flax | Linum usitatissimum | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1-little | temperate | |
| Lychee | Litchi chinensis | Honey bees, flies | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Lupine | Lupinus angustifolius L. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Macadamia | Macadamia ternifolia | Honey bees, Stingless bees (Trigona carbonaria), Solitary bees (Homalictus spp.), Wasps, Butterflies | nut | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Acerola | Malpighia glabra | Honey bees, Solitary bees | fruit (minor commercial value) | |||
| Apple | Malus domestica, or Malus sylvestris | Honey bees, orchard mason bee, Bumblebees, Solitary bees (Andrena spp., Halictus spp., Osmia spp., Anthophora spp.), Hover flies (Eristalis cerealis, Eristalis tenax) | fruit | 3-great | 1, 2 semi dwarf, 3 dwarf | temperate |
| Mammee | Mammea americana | Bees | fruit | 2-modest | tropical | |
| Mango | Mangifera indica | Honey bees, Stingless bees, flies, ants, wasps | fruit | 3-great | sub-tropical | |
| Sapodilla | Manikara zapotilla | thrips | fruit | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Alfalfa | Medicago sativa | Alfalfa leafcutter bee, Alkali bee, Honey bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| Rambutan | Nephelium lappaceum | Honey bees, Stingless bees, flies | fruit
1-little |
tropical | ||
| Cactus, Prickly pear | Opuntia spp. | Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 2-modest | ||
| Sainfoin | Onobrychis spp. | Honey bees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Passion fruit. Maracuja | Passiflora edulis | Carpenter bees, Solitary bees, bumblebees, humming birds | fruit | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Avocado | Persea americana | Honey bees, Stingless bees, Solitary bees | fruit | 3-great | ||
| Lima bean, Kidney bean, Haricot bean, Adzuki bean, Mungo bean, String bean | Phaseolus spp. | Honey bees, Solitary bees | fruit, seed | 1-little | ||
| Scarlet runner bean | Phaseolus coccineus L. | Bumblebees, Honey bees, Solitary bees, Thrips | seed | |||
| Allspice | Pimenta dioica | Honey bees, Solitary bees (Halictus spp., Exomalopsis spp., Ceratina spp.) | 3-great | |||
| Apricot | Prunus armeniaca | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Sweet Cherry | Prunus avium spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 3-great | temperate | |
| Sour cherry | Prunus cerasus | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 3-great | temperate | |
| Plum, Greengage, Mirabelle, Sloe | Prunus domestica, Prunus spinosa | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Almond | Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus, or Amygdalus communis | Honey bees, bumblebees, Solitary bees (Osmia cornuta), flies | nut | 3-great | 2-3 | temperate |
| Peach, Nectarine | Prunus persica | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Guava | Psidium guajava | Honey bees, Stingless bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees (Lasioglossum spp.) | fruit | 2-modest | tropical | |
| Pomegranate | Punica granatum | Honey bees, Solitary bees, beetles | fruit | 2-modest | ||
| Pear | Pyrus communis | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, Hover flies (Eristalis spp.) | fruit | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Black currant, Red currant | Ribes nigrum, Ribes rubrum | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Rose hips, Dogroses | Rosa spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Carpenter bees, Solitary bees, Hover flies | 3-great | temperate | ||
| Boysenberry | Rubus spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | temperate | ||
| Raspberry | Rubus idaeus | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, Hover flies (Eristalis spp.) | fruit | 3-great | 1 | temperate |
| Blackberry | Rubus fruticosus | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees, Hover flies (Eristalis spp.) | fruit | 3-great | temperate | |
| Elderberry | Sambucus nigra | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies, Longhorn beetles | fruit | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Sesame | Sesamum indicum | Honey bees, Solitary bees, wasps, flies | seed | 2-modest | ||
| Eggplant | Solanum melongena | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 2-modest (pollinators important in green houses, but less in open fields) | temperate | |
| Naranjillo | Solanum quitoense | Bumblebees, Solitary bees | fruit | 3-great | tropical | |
| Rowanberry | Sorbus aucuparia | Honey bees, Solitary bees, Bumblebees, Hover flies | fruit | 4-essential | temperate | |
| Service Tree | Sorbus domestica | bees, flies | fruit | 2-modest | ||
| Hog plum | Spondias spp. | Honey bees, Stingless bees (Melipona spp.) | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Tamarind | Tamarindus indica | Honey bees (incl. Apis dorsata) | fruit | 1-little | ||
| Cocoa | Theobroma cacao | Midges | 4-essential | tropical | ||
| Clover (not all species) | Trifolium spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| White clover | Trifolium alba | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| Alsike clover | Trifolium hybridum L. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| Crimson clover | Trifolium incarnatum | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | ||
| Red clover | Trifolium pratense | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| Arrowleaf clover | Trifolium vesiculosum Savi | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1 | temperate | |
| Blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | Honey bees, Alfalfa leafcutter bees, Southeastern blueberry bee, Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens), Solitary bees (Anthophora pilipes, Colletes spp., Osmia ribifloris, Osmia lignaria) | fruit | 3-great | 3-4 | temperate |
| Cranberry | Vaccinium oxycoccus, Vaccinium macrocarpon | Honey bees, Bumblebees (Bombus affinis), Solitary bees (Megachile addenda, Alfalfa leafcutter bees) | fruit | 3 | temperate | |
| Vanilla | Vanilla planifolia, Vanilla pompona | Solitary bees | fruit | 4-essential | tropical | |
| Tung tree | Vernicia fordii | Honey bees | seed | |||
| Broad bean | Vicia faba | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 2-modest | ||
| Vetch | Vicia spp. | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | temperate | ||
| Cowpea, Black-eyed pea, Blackeye bean | Vigna unguiculata | Honey bees, Bumblebees, Solitary bees | seed | 1-little | ||
| Karite | Vitellaria paradoxa | Honey bees | nut | 2-modest | temperate | |
| Tomato | Solanum lycopersicum | Bumblebees, Solitary bees (Halictus spp.) | fruit | tropical | ||
| Grape | Vitis spp. | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies | fruit | 0-no increase | temperate | |
| Jujube | Zizyphus jujuba | Honey bees, Solitary bees, flies, beetles, wasps | fruit | 2-modest |
