Pollinator Corridors: How You Can Help Arizona Life Thrive

I’m sure you’ve heard about the importance of bees on our planet. Bees and other pollinators are facing serious challenges worldwide.

black and yellow bee on wooden surface

Pesticides, habitat loss, diseases, and parasites are affecting bee and other pollinator populations. Poor nutrition from monoculture farming—that is, large areas planted with a single crop—also leaves bees with less diverse food. Add it all up, and it spells trouble for our precious pollinators. You’ve no doubt heard the phrase: “No pollinators, no food.” It’s not an exaggeration.

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red and purple flower field during daytime

What Is a Pollinator Corridor?

As dire as this sounds, all is not lost. You can help by creating a pollinator corridor right in your Arizona yard. These special places don’t need much space or maintenance, either.

Xerces.org explains that a pollinator corridor is “a connected pathway of flowering plants that provides food, shelter, and nesting habitat for pollinators as they move across the landscape.”

brown and white rabbit plush toy

These corridors help link fragmented habitats, making it easier for pollinators to find the resources they need throughout the year.

READ THIS: Is It Legal to Collect Rainwater in Arizona?

Why Pollinator Corridors Matter

Pollinators play a vital role in healthy ecosystems. Some of Arizona’s most common pollinators are bees, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles, hummingbirds, and flies.

More than 85% of the world's flowering plants rely on pollinators for reproduction. Many food crops also benefit from or depend on pollination.

Purple flowers with silvery-green leaves on a bush.

Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate pressures are constantly working against pollinator populations. So creating connected habitat corridors is becoming increasingly important, according to Arizona Parks and Trails.

Pollinator corridors support biodiversity, which in turn improves plant reproduction and helps other wildlife thrive.

These corridors create resilience and supply safe travel routes between feeding and nesting areas, the Land Resilience Partnership explains.

READ: Never Waste This Natural Resource In Arizona

a bunch of butterflies that are on a leaf

Common Arizona Pollinators

Arizona is a pollinator hotspot. We have more than 1,300 native bee species, along with 17 hummingbird species and 28 bat species that help move pollen between plants.

Most of our bees and butterflies are active from spring through late fall when flowers are blooming.

Hummingbirds can be active year-round in parts of Arizona, while nectar-feeding bats are most active during warmer months and nighttime hours, according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.

READ: Adapting To Arizona: Native Plants For Eco-Friendly Landscaping

a hummingbird flying towards a flower with a blue sky in the background

Creating A Pollinator Corridor At Home

You can create your own pollinator corridor in your Arizona yard. Start with native, low-water-use plants that bloom in different seasons. The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center suggests plants like brittlebush, desert lavender, chuparosa, Arizona milkweed, desert willow, palo verde, and fairy duster. These plants provide nectar and pollen, and they thrive in Arizona's climate.

white and pink flower in tilt shift lens

Careful design can help your pollinator corridor thrive. Group plants together, avoid pesticides, provide a shallow water source, and leave some natural areas for nesting.

Once established, these plants almost take care of themselves, but you can help them along with regular pruning, seasonal cleanup, and an efficient drip irrigation system to keep your pollinator corridor healthy while conserving water.

READ: Why Bees Are Essential For Arizona's Ecosystem And Agriculture

a potted plant with purple flowers in it

You Can Help Save the Pollinators

You can do this! Even if you only have a small patio or balcony, planting a few of these desert natives will help our pollinators thrive. Instead of planting lawns in the desert, consider creating a low-water-use desert oasis for you, native desert plants, and pollinators. Every little bit helps.