In our fast-paced lives, we tend to get caught up in a never-ending task list of must-do, must-see business (or white noise, as the locals call it). We’re always going, going, going and yet we never really arrive anywhere in particular. It’s quite a shame, really, because the blur of our activities leaves us numb and completely oblivious to the phenomenally lusty dance of nature that occurs in the background of our lives, especially in the spring and summer months. Oh, sure — now I have your attention – but the dance I’m referring to is specifically bee-bug-and-bird-related, so clear your mind of any…subversive thoughts.
There, that’s better. Just focus on the sweet and wholesome 
exchange between a pollinator and its main floral squeeze. It is there that sticky stigma and pollen-studded stamens engage in a frenetic tango of hot-and-bothered reproduction thanks to the visitation of scores upon scores of probing pollinators. It seems pretty salacious, and yet it’s merely what birds and bees do…along with ordinary house flies, bats, butterflies, moths, dragonflies and beetles, too. These flighty critters find the allure of a flower way too irresistible to pass up – from its intoxicating aroma and seductively syrupy nectar to its ripe, inviting color, the treasures within simply must be explored.
Hmmm, we’re still in ‘safe-for-family-audiences’ mode and yet it seems to be getting a little hot in here. Just imagine
how the pollinators feel. Some of the flowers that they visit are impossibly tiny — which makes for extremely close quarters — and yet somehow, in spite of their lack of elbow room, they manage to explore the core of each in order to drink to their hearts content (before moving along to their next crush). In other cases, busy little winged creatures are forced to compete with a whole lot of equally lusty floral suitors, causing them to practically trip over each other in the primal fulfillment of their conquest. Naturally, they’re looking out for themselves – perhaps a bit selfishly, I might add – and yet the happy by-product of their love ‘em and leave ‘em ways is a magical thing called pollination.
Many of us recall the general pollination process dispensed by our grade school teachers four score and seven years ago (okay, perhaps far fewer years have passed for some of us), but we might be hard-pressed to recall the specifics today. Fortunately, your friendly, handy-dandy Agriculture Guide is here to save the day – hey, you never know if this information might enable you to win big money in Jeopardy, so please pay close attention.
What is Pollination ?
When pollinators visit flowers to collect nectar, their activity enables pollen to get transferred from the anthers to the stigma, which in turn stimulates fertilization in the flower and the development of its seeds.
What is Self-Pollination ?
A plant in this category is able to transfer pollen from its anthers to its stigma without any outside assistance becaus
e it has specially-designed flowers that discourage or prohibit typical pollination, such as peas which self-pollinate before their flowers actually open. Other typical self-pollinating crops include lettuce, tomatoes, escarole, beans, endive and several grain varieties such as oats, wheat, and barley.
What is Cross-Pollination ?
When all of the flowers on a plant are either exclusively male or exclusively female, cross-pollination must occur so that the female plant is able to produce fruit. So, in this case, pollen is transferred from the anther of a flower (of one plant) to the stigma of a flower (of another plant of the same species) via wind or insects. Plants that commonly 
cross-pollinate include holly, willow, ailanthus (tree of heaven), yew and bittersweet.
What is a Pollinator ?
A creature that moves pollen from the anthers to the stigmas of flowers, thus triggering pollination, such as bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, some flies, wasps, and nectar feeding bats (who happen to gravitate toward specific flowers that release the unmistakable scent of garlic, rotting vegetation, or fungus). Oh, but there are a few lesser-known and yet equally diligent pollinators – some that you may not expect, including wind, water, snails, small rodents and mammals, marsupials, and lemurs.
Hungry for more information on the fascinating topic of pollination ? Then you may want to take a look at this article, entitled: “Calling All Pollinator-Haters” (here) which explores the dark underbelly of humanity’s distaste for nature’s happy little pollinators. Let us know what you think — your perspective is greatly appreciated!
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Perfect.