7 Types of Pollinators & How to Attract Them to Your Garden

October 15, 2026 Bill Hageman

Bumblebee and small bee visiting a purple flower

Introduction

Many of our favorite fruits and vegetables benefit from pollinators. You don’t need to keep a beehive to support pollination in your garden: wild bees, flies, butterflies, and other visiting insects can help pollinate suitable crops. However, pollination needs vary by plant, and some crops produce fruit without insect pollination.

Types of Pollinators in Your Garden

By attracting honeybees, native bees, butterflies, moths, and other pollinators, you can help your garden and the environment at the same time!

Honeybees

The honeybee is the most sought after pollinator, and for good cause. Its hairy body can carry pollen between flowers, but effectiveness varies by crop and conditions; many native bees are also important pollinators.

Plants they pollinate

Honeybees visit many types of flowers and use visual cues, including color, along with scent and the availability of nectar and pollen when choosing where to forage. Unlike bumblebees, honeybees cannot perform buzz pollination, which helps release pollen from tomato and some other nightshade flowers. However, tomatoes can self-pollinate, and fruit may develop without bumblebee visits.

How to attract them

Plant large patches of flowers such as vetch, borage, buckwheat, sunflowers, alfalfa, clover, or wildflower mixes to bring them to your yard. Honeybees need a lot of water to make honey; provide them a drinking pool by placing stones or another perch in a shallow dish of water.

Bumblebees

Many bumblebee species are native to North America and occur in a variety of habitats, from cooler regions and higher elevations to other suitable environments. Bumblebees can perform “buzz pollination,” vibrating certain flowers to release pollen. This makes them particularly useful for crops such as tomatoes and eggplants, whose flowers release pollen more readily through vibration. This specialized pollination releases tightly bound pollen better than other pollinators can, essentially by vibrating it loose.

Plants they pollinate

In your veggie garden, bumblebees enjoy tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, squashes, gourds watermelons, cucumbers, strawberries, apples, beans, cane berries, fruit trees including apples, pears, stone fruits, almonds, and persimmons.

How to attract them

Plant vetch, sunflowers, lupine, clover, and wildflower mixes. Provide suitable flowering plants and undisturbed nesting habitat; do not add salt as a general bee-care practice.

Native and Other Solitary Bees

Many species of native bees help with pollinating the garden, including orchard mason bees, squash bees, Southeastern blueberry bees, carpenter bees, and digger bees. Alfalfa leafcutter bees were introduced as an alternative pollinator and have become naturalized. Many native bee species are solitary, meaning females typically nest and provision their own offspring rather than living in large colonies with a queen and workers. However, nesting and social behavior vary among bee species.

Plants they pollinate

While some species are particular, such as the squash bee which prefers plants in the squash and melon families, most are general pollinators and will select any pollen or nectar producing flower they can find. Some native bees specialize on particular plants; a diverse, locally appropriate planting serves more needs than assuming one bee visits every flower.

How to attract them

Plant other vetch, buckwheat, sunflowers, lupine, clover, alfalfa, and wildflower mixes. Provide suitable nesting habitat for local bees. Some species nest in bare, well-drained soil, while others use cavities in wood or hollow stems. Bee nesting structures may support certain cavity-nesting species when appropriately designed and maintained, but they are not suitable for every native bee.

Butterflies

Butterflies can pollinate flowers as pollen sticks to their bodies while they feed on nectar. Unlike many bees, they generally do not actively collect pollen to provision their young, and their contribution to pollination varies by butterfly and plant species.

Plants they pollinate

Butterflies commonly visit nectar-producing flowers that provide accessible feeding surfaces. Many moths visit fragrant flowers that open at night. Flower choice varies by species, so a range of suitable flowers can support a wider variety of pollinators.

How to attract them

Plant colorful, nectar producing flowers such as zinnias, coneflowers, daisies, marigolds, and wildflower mixes. Flowers that are open during the night will attract pollinator moths (Evening Primrose, Moonflowers, Four O’Clocks and Gourds). Choose native or regionally appropriate plants that provide nectar for adult butterflies and moths, as well as host plants for their caterpillars. For monarch butterflies in North America, milkweed is essential for caterpillar development.

Beneficial Flies

Many types of flies visit flowers and contribute to pollination. Hoverflies are particularly useful in some gardens because adults feed on nectar and pollen, while the larvae of many species prey on aphids and other small pests. Their roles vary by species.

Plants they pollinate

Adult hoverflies and other flower-visiting flies feed on nectar and pollen from a range of plants. Small, open flowers such as sweet alyssum, buckwheat, dill, cilantro, fennel, and yarrow can provide accessible food sources for adult hoverflies. Flower-visiting flies also contribute to the pollination of crops such as strawberries, peppers, pears, and almonds, although their importance varies by crop and location. The larvae of many hoverfly species also feed on aphids and other small pests, making these insects valuable visitors to the garden.

How to attract them

Plant alyssum, buckwheat, chamomile, parsley, yarrow, or our Good Bug Blend which provides a food source and shelter for adult and immature beneficial flies.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds visit suitable nectar-bearing flowers, particularly tubular forms; their access depends on flower shape and the local species. They also eat mosquitoes, gnats, aphids, and other small insects.

Plants they pollinate

Choose flowers known to support hummingbirds in your region. Do not rely on hummingbirds as substitutes for the insects that pollinate most common orchard and vegetable crops.

How to attract them

Planting clusters of suitable nectar-producing flowers can make food easier for hummingbirds to find. Choose flowers suited to the hummingbird species and growing conditions in your region, but remember that visits also depend on habitat and the availability of other resources. Though they don’t require drinking water, hummingbirds appreciate a birdbath and sheltered perches to rest upon.

Bats

A lush outdoor garden at dusk with raised wooden beds filled with sunflowers, leafy greens, and orange flowers, a small shed in the background, and two large bat sculptures flying above the plants against a sunset sky.

Some bat species are important pollinators, particularly nectar-feeding bats found in the southwestern United States. In the southwestern United States, the lesser long-nosed bat and Mexican long-tongued bat are examples of nectar-feeding bats that visit flowering plants. Their seasonal presence and range vary, and their food plants differ by species. They feed on nectar and pollen, transferring pollen between flowers as they forage.

Plants they pollinate

In the southwestern United States, nectar-feeding bats pollinate certain agaves and columnar cacti. The lesser long-nosed bat is an important pollinator of agaves, saguaro cacti, and organ pipe cacti; specific plant associations vary by bat species and location. Their importance varies by plant species and region. Many of these flowers open at night and produce nectar that attracts bats.

How to attract them

In the southwestern United States, conserve native agaves, flowering cacti, and their surrounding habitats where these plants naturally grow. Protecting bat roosts and preserving native vegetation along seasonal feeding routes are also important. These bats have specialized habitat needs, so planting flowers or installing a bat house does not guarantee their presence. Avoid disturbing caves and other roosting sites.

Choosing Seeds for a Pollinator Planting

Choose flowers suited to your region, soil, sunlight, and growing conditions, and select species with different flowering periods to provide food across the season. Where appropriate, include native plants, caterpillar host plants, and suitable nesting habitat. Minimize pesticide use and follow label directions to reduce risks to visiting pollinators.

For guidance on starting flowers from seed, see our article How to Grow Flowers from Seed: Annuals, Perennials, and Direct Sowing, and explore suitable pollinator seed options.

FAQs About Pollinators and How to Attract Them to Your Garden

Why are pollinators important in a vegetable garden?

Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, and some flies help transfer pollen between flowers, supporting fruit and seed production. Many crops, including apples, strawberries, cucumbers, and melons, benefit from animal pollination.

How can I attract more pollinators to my garden?

Plant a variety of flowering plants, preferably native species suited to your region. Choose different flower shapes and colors, plant in groups, and provide blooms across different seasons to offer a more consistent supply of nectar and pollen.

Which pollinators are best for tomato plants?

Bumblebees are particularly effective at pollinating tomato flowers through buzz pollination. They vibrate their flight muscles to release pollen from the flowers. Tomatoes can also self-pollinate, with wind and other vibrations helping move pollen.

Do butterflies, flies, birds, and bats also pollinate plants?

Yes. Butterflies and moths transfer pollen while feeding on nectar, some flies pollinate flowers while visiting them, and hummingbirds pollinate certain nectar-producing flowers. Nectar-feeding bats pollinate plants such as agaves and columnar cacti in regions where they naturally occur.

How can I protect pollinators in my garden?

Grow suitable flowering plants, preserve nesting and shelter habitats, and minimize pesticide use. When pesticides are necessary, follow the product label and avoid exposing pollinators to treated flowers whenever possible. Choose plants appropriate for your local environment to better support native pollinator species.

Resources

Shop our collection of native wildflower seeds:

Related Pest Control Resources

Identify the pest or disease first. For pesticides, repellents, traps, and biological controls, confirm that the product label covers the target site and pest, then follow all label directions and precautions.

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1 comment

While there are quite a few nectar-feeding bats worldwide, there are only 2 that come into the US. Both the lesser long-nosed bat and the Mexican long-tongued bat are listed as endangered species. They come into Texas, Arizona and New Mexico in the summer. The rest of the bats in the US are insect-feeding bats. They don’t help with pollination, but are immensely helpful in controlling flying insects such as mosquitoes.