[New post] Achoo! 5 essential reads for pollen season

Janice Flahiff posted: " This roundup of articles from our archives describes recent findings on protecting pollinators and coping with pollen season. 1. Hey pollinators, over here Since pollen grains carry the cells that fertilize plants, it's critical for them to get w" Achoo! 5 essential reads for pollen season Janice Flahiff May 1 This roundup of articles from our archives describes recent findings on protecting pollinators and coping with pollen season. 1. Hey pollinators, over here Since pollen grains carry the cells that fertilize plants, it's critical for them to get where they need to go. Often wind or gravity is all it takes, but for many plants, a pollinator has to carry the pollen grains. Some plants offer nectar or edible pollen to attract insects, bats or other animals, which carry pollen from plant to plant as they forage. Many flowers also lure pollinators with scent. 2. Bees at the buffet It's well known that many species of insects have declined in recent years. One big focus is honeybees and other species of bees, which pollinate many important crops. 3. Warmer weather means more pollen As climate change raises average temperatures across the U.S., growing seasons are starting earlier and ending later in the year. That's bad news for allergy sufferers. "The higher temperature will extend the growing season, giving plants more time to emit pollen and reproduce," 4. Providing better forecasts With all that pollen out there, how can allergy sufferers know when counts are high? Today the U.S. has only a rudimentary network of 90 pollen observation stations across the country, staffed by volunteers and run only during pollen season, so often there isn't good information available when people need it. 5. Support pollinators in your garden Pollen season is also gardening season, since it's when plants are blooming. West Virginia University mycologist Brian Lovett offers advice for gardeners who want to attract beneficial insects to their yards for pollination and other purposes. One step is to replace grass with native wildflowers, which will provide pollen and nectar for insects like ants, bees and butterflies. Resources for prevention/treatment of pollen allergies ----Seasonal Allergies: Which Medication is Right for You? ----https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/pdf/MLP_Summer_2011.pdf Scroll down to "Managing the Sneezing Season" Comment Like You can also reply to this email to leave a comment. Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Health and Medical News of Note. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: https://flahiffjmahealthnewsblog.wordpress.com Powered by WordPress.com