The Pollinators We Lost—and the Burden We Now Bear
This year, I’ve spent more time than I ever imagined crouched over blossoms, gently brushing pollen from flower to flower by hand. The simple act of growing food has become an uphill battle because, in my little corner of the world, the pollinators are vanishing.
And it’s hard—far harder than most people understand.
The work of the bees, the butterflies, the humble moths, and beetles has fallen into human hands in places where once the air hummed with life. And make no mistake: this is not a task we were built for.
Yoda might say: "Size matters not, but presence, yes—essential it is." The presence of pollinators is essential. Without them, the cycle of life falters.
The Silent Crisis
Across the world, pollinator populations are declining at alarming rates. Habitat destruction, pesticides, monoculture farming, climate change—all have taken their toll. The U.S. alone has seen a 60% decline in managed honeybee colonies since the 1940s (USDA). And it isn’t just honeybees—native bee species, butterflies, bats, and birds are all part of this web.
The loss is quiet, but the consequences are deafening. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, about 75% of the world's food crops depend on pollination (FAO). Without these creatures, global food supply chains crumble, and the garden in your backyard turns barren.
The Hard Reality of Hand Pollination
Some of us are already feeling it. I’ve been hand-pollinating squash, peas, herbs—using brushes, cotton swabs, and even fingertips. It’s a hit-or-miss operation. It takes time, patience, and a delicate touch. And even with all that, the results don’t always come.
To those who think technology or human ingenuity can easily replace nature’s design, I say this: it cannot.
The labor of billions of tiny wings cannot be matched by a handful of human hands. Even large-scale attempts, like the hand-pollination of apple trees in parts of China where bees have vanished, are costly, inefficient, and deeply unnatural (The Guardian).
Yoda would remind us: “Much to learn, we still have.” And indeed, we do.
The Path Forward: Restore, Protect, Rebuild
What can we do?
Plant diversity. Grow native flowers, herbs, and flowering shrubs that bloom across the seasons (Xerces Society).
Provide clean water. Shallow dishes with stones or bee baths give pollinators a place to drink.
Avoid pesticides. Especially neonicotinoids and other chemicals lethal to bees (EPA).
Consider bee-keeping. If you’re able, becoming a steward to a hive is one of the most powerful ways to give back.
Speak up. Share this knowledge. Teach others what we stand to lose—and what’s already slipping away.
Let wildness in. Even a small unmowed patch or a few "messy" corners of a garden can provide refuge for pollinators who need diverse habitats to thrive.
Support legislation. Advocate for local and national policies that protect pollinator habitats and regulate the use of harmful pesticides (Pollinator Partnership).
The future doesn’t have to be one where children grow up in a silent spring, where orchards no longer bear fruit, where food prices soar because we must hand-pollinate every plant ourselves. But we are on that path—unless we change course.
“In motion, the future always is,” says Yoda. And motion requires action.
If you see fewer bees and fewer butterflies, if your garden seems eerily quiet, know that you are witnessing a warning—one we cannot afford to ignore.
The pollinators are disappearing. And as I’ve learned firsthand, it’s hard being a pollinator. Harder still, being without them.
Sources:
USDA Honey Bee Health: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/06/28/honey-bee-health-coalition-unites-beekeepers-farmers-researchers-and-industry
FAO on Pollination: http://www.fao.org/pollination/en/
The Guardian on Hand Pollination: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/apr/28/chinese-bee-keepers-hand-pollination
Xerces Society Plant Lists: https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/plant-lists
EPA Pollinator Protection: https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection
Pollinator Partnership: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-health