Rise-up Polli-Nation

As we hit peak summertime in July it’s important to remember that this is mating season! Well, kind of. Our Crooked Bend “Birds and The Bees” Mix is ripe for planting and can be a huge benefit to your food plot when it comes to attracting a good mate. I know what you’re thinking, so the deer will like it right? And they will! But in order for the birds and the bees to properly grow together and form that bond, the plants themselves will need a little summer lovin’ from our friends the bumble bee, and butterflies. Pollination is a critical component of fostering a healthy and plentiful eating environment inside your food plot. While it’s done quietly and without much notice, this process is vital to the health and wellness of those plants. Honey bees are directly responsible for 1/3 of the WORLD’S food production, and connected to the other 2/3 as well. Without worker bees pollinating across the vast fields of your deer food plot, the opportunity for growth and ability to attract wildlife severely diminishes, thus potentially ruining any hope of a reward come fall. While butterflies remain prettier to look at and bees can sometimes strike fear into some, both serve great purpose in the food plotting world and should be protected, even encouraged to continue their overtime. Utilizing the proper food plot seed and mix can expedite this need to feed keeping the bees and other insects pollinating long enough to increase the size of the plants in the plot. For those that view bees as a nuisance or don’t understand the difference between a working bees responsibilities and others, think of the worker bees as food prepping as a chef. Sure, the meat is cut up and there to be cooked. The veggies are fresh and eager to enter the pan. And those potatoes just can’t wait to be mashed. If the chef doesn’t marinate the meat and properly cook it for serving, or the veggies aren’t sautéed just right with all the proper spices, and those potatoes just go out hard and uncooked, it’s not going to be very appetizing for the guests. Those are some vital steps to make a nice dinner as delicious looking and tasting as possible. Working bees are no different when it comes to a food plot. You can plant the best food plot seed ever, but without the bees pollinating away making the plants bigger and stronger and thus tastier for wildlife, it’s going to be difficult to keep those “customers” coming back. Whether it’s the worker bees or butterflies, an experienced food plotter understands that’s free labor right there, just let them do their thing and create the eating environment necessary for a fruitful summer and fall.

Good luck and happy plotting!