This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 4:38 pm and is filed under General Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Pollination by insects is called entomophily. Entomophily is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects, particularly bees, butterflies, 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.
| Common name | Latin name | Commercial product of pollination |
Pollinator impact |
hives per acre |
| Okra | Abelmoschus esculentus | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Kiwifruit | Actinidia deliciosa | fruit | 4-essential | |
| Onion | Allium cepa | seed | ||
| Cashew | Anacardium occidentale | nut | 3-great | |
| Celery | Apium graveolens | seed | ||
| Strawberry tree | Arbutus unedo | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Carambola, Starfruit | Averrhoa carambola | fruit | 3-great | |
| Beet | Beta vulgaris | seed | 1-little | |
| Mustard | Brassica alba, Brassica hirta, Brassica nigra | seed | 2-modest | |
| Rapeseed | Brassica napus | seed | 2-modest | |
| Broccoli | Brassica oleracea cultivar | seed | ||
| Cauliflower | Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group | seed | ||
| Cabbage | Brassica oleracea Capitata Group | seed | ||
| Brussels sprouts | Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group | seed | ||
| Chinese cabbage | Brassica rapa | seed | ||
| Turnip, Canola | Brassica rapa | seed | 3-great | 1 |
| Pigeon pea, Cajan pea, Congo bean | Cajanus cajan | seed | 1-little | |
| Chile pepper, Red pepper, Bell pepper, Green pepper | Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens | fruit | 1-little (pollinators important in green houses to increase fruit weight, but less in open fields) | |
| Papaya | Carica papaya | fruit | 1-little | |
| Safflower | Carthamus tinctorius | seed | 1-little | |
| Caraway | Carum carvi | seed | 2-modest | |
| Chestnut | Castanea sativa | nut | 2-modest | |
| Watermelon | Citrullus lanatus | fruit | 4-essential | 3-Jan |
| Tangerine | Citrus reticulata | fruit | 1-little | |
| Tangelo | Citrus spp. | fruit | 1-little | |
| Coconut | Cocos nucifera | nut | 2-modest | |
| Coffea spp. Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora | Coffea spp. | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Coriander | Coriandrum sativum | seed | 3-great | |
| Crownvetch | Coronilla varia L. | seed (increased yield from pollinators) | ||
| Hazelnut | Corylus cornuta var. californica | nut | ||
| Azarole | Crataegus azarolus | fruit | 1-little | |
| Cantaloupe, Melon | Cucumis melo L. | fruit | 4-essential | 4-Feb |
| Cucumber | Cucumis sativus | fruit | 3-great | 2-Jan |
| Squash (plant), Pumpkin, Gourd, Marrow, Zuchini | Cucurbita spp. | fruit | 4-essential | 1 |
| Guar bean, Goa bean | Cyamopsis tetragonoloba | seed | 1-little | |
| Quince | Cydonia oblonga Mill. | fruit | ||
| Hyacinth bean | Dolichos spp. | seed | 2-modest | |
| Longan | Dimocarpus longan | 1-little | ||
| Persimmon | Diospyros kaki, Diospyros virginiana | fruit | 1-little | |
| Cardamom | Elettaria cardamomum | 3-great | ||
| Loquat | Eriobotrya japonica | fruit | 3-great | |
| Buckwheat | Fagopyrum esculentum | seed | 3-great | 1 |
| Feijoa | Feijoa sellowiana | fruit | 3-great | |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | seed | 3-great | |
| Strawberry | Fragaria spp. | fruit | 2-modest | 1 |
| Soybean | Glycine max, Glycine soja | seed | 2-modest | |
| Cotton | Gossypium spp. | seed, fiber | 2-modest | |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | seed | 2-modest | 1 |
| Walnut | Juglans spp. | nut | ||
| Flax | Linum usitatissimum | seed | 1-little | |
| Lychee | Litchi chinensis | fruit | 1-little | |
| Lupine | Lupinus angustifolius L. | seed | ||
| Macadamia | Macadamia ternifolia | nut | 4-essential | |
| Acerola | Malpighia glabra | fruit (minor commercial value) | ||
| Apple | Malus domestica, or Malus sylvestris | fruit | 3-great | 1, 2 |
| Mango | Mangifera indica | fruit | 3-great | |
| Alfalfa | Medicago sativa | seed | 1 | |
| Rambutan | Nephelium lappaceum | fruit | ||
| 1-little | ||||
| Sainfoin | Onobrychis spp. | seed | ||
| Passion fruit. Maracuja | Passiflora edulis | fruit | 4-essential | |
| Avocado | Persea americana | fruit | 3-great | |
| Lima bean, Kidney bean, Haricot bean, Adzuki bean, Mungo bean, String bean | Phaseolus spp. | fruit, seed | 1-little | |
| Scarlet runner bean | Phaseolus coccineus L. | seed | ||
| Allspice | Pimenta dioica | 3-great | ||
| Apricot | Prunus armeniaca | fruit | 3-great | 1 |
| Sweet Cherry | Prunus avium spp. | fruit | 3-great | |
| Sour cherry | Prunus cerasus | fruit | 3-great | |
| Plum, Greengage, Mirabelle, Sloe | Prunus domestica, Prunus spinosa | fruit | 3-great | 1 |
| Almond | Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus, or Amygdalus communis | nut | 3-great | 3-Feb |
| Peach, Nectarine | Prunus persica | fruit | 3-great | 1 |
| Guava | Psidium guajava | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Pomegranate | Punica granatum | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Pear | Pyrus communis | fruit | 3-great | 1 |
| Black currant, Red currant | Ribes nigrum, Ribes rubrum | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Rose hips, Dogroses | Rosa spp. | 3-great | ||
| Boysenberry | Rubus spp. | fruit | ||
| Raspberry | Rubus idaeus | fruit | 3-great | 1 |
| Blackberry | Rubus fruticosus | fruit | 3-great | |
| Elderberry | Sambucus nigra | fruit | 2-modest | |
| Sesame | Sesamum indicum | seed | 2-modest | |
| Eggplant | Solanum melongena | fruit | 2-modest (pollinators important in green houses, but less in open fields) | |
| Rowanberry | Sorbus aucuparia | fruit | 4-essential | |
| Hog plum | Spondias spp. | fruit | 1-little | |
| Tamarind | Tamarindus indica | fruit | 1-little | |
| Clover (not all species) | Trifolium spp. | seed | 1 | |
| White clover | Trifolium alba | seed | 1 | |
| Alsike clover | Trifolium hybridum L. | seed | 1 | |
| Crimson clover | Trifolium incarnatum | seed | 1 | |
| Red clover | Trifolium pratense | seed | 1 | |
| Arrowleaf clover | Trifolium vesiculosum Savi | seed | 1 | |
| Blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | fruit | 3-great | 4-Mar |
| Cranberry | Vaccinium oxycoccus, Vaccinium macrocarpon | fruit | 3 | |
| Tung tree | Vernicia fordii | seed | ||
| Broad bean | Vicia faba | seed | 2-modest | |
| Vetch | Vicia spp. | seed | ||
| Cowpea, Black-eyed pea, Blackeye bean | Vigna unguiculata | seed | 1-little | |
| Karite | Vitellaria paradoxa | nut | 2-modest | |
| Grape | Vitis spp. | fruit | 0-no increase | |
| Jujube | Zizyphus jujuba | fruit | 2-modest |
June 24th, 2010 at 10:35 am
[...] of nearly 1/3 of the food products that are produced in the US. (A comprehensive list available here.) All of these products are, in effect, health foods. Without the bees, we’re left with Corn, [...]