Converting Marginal Land along Roadsides to Pollinator Habitat: Does it Make a Difference?

Pollinators play a significant role in our ecosystem. Insect pollinators are responsible for pollinating up to 75% of the world’s food crops². With increasing urbanization across the United States, the stability of insect pollinator habitat is on the decline. This decline can partially be attributed to loss of food and nesting resources in these human modified landscapes¹. One way to improve urbanized areas for pollinating insects is to increase food resource availability in these areas³. The objective of this study was to determine if planting pollinator habitat along interstates would increase pollinator abundance and richness compared to lightly-managed turf. Sites were established in the Piedmont of North Carolina in 6 counties. For pollinator sites, an acre of wildflower seeds were broadcast-seeded by NCDOT in medians, shoulders, and interchanges in 2014. Control sites were managed monthly by mowing. All locations were sampled every three weeks from May 2015 through August 2015. Insect pollinators including ‎bees, butterflies, and flies were identified; species richness and abundance were determined. Bees were the most abundant flower-visiting insect at pollinator sites, whereas, flies were most abundant at control sites. Increasing pollinator habitat likely has a positive effect on species richness and abundance of flower-visiting insects.