The Unsung Buzz: Why Native Pollinators Matter to Your Market Basket

You’ve probably seen them—hovering near your lavender plant, tucked into the petals of your squash blossoms, or weaving between wildflowers on the edge of a country road. Not the honeybees. The other guys. The fuzzy little bumblebees. Solitary bees that nest in the ground. Hoverflies that look like bees but aren’t. Butterflies. Moths. Beetles. The tiny, tireless workers, native to our corner of Southwestern Ontario.

They’re not just part of the scenery. These native pollinators are a big reason your local food exists in the first place.

Pollinators and the Food You Eat
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Roughly one in every three bites of food you eat depends on pollination. Not all of that is done by honeybees. In fact, many crops are better served—or sometimes only pollinated—by native species. Peppers, squash, blueberries—these need buzz pollination, a specific vibration that bumblebees are uniquely built for.

Take a walk through the Horton Farmers’ Market. Think of the strawberries you picked up last week. The tomatoes ripening on a local grower’s stand. The bunch of fresh basil, the cucumbers, even your sunflower bouquet. Each of those items probably owes something to native pollinators.
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And yet, we’re losing them.

What’s Putting Them at Risk
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There isn’t one clear culprit. It’s a mix of things.

• Habitat loss: As cities grow and farms expand, native plants and wild nesting spaces disappear.
• Pesticides: Even at low doses, certain sprays can disorient or kill pollinators.
• Climate shifts: Changing temperatures confuse seasonal cues—some flowers bloom too early, or too late, and the timing misaligns with pollinator lifecycles.
• Competition from non-natives: Domesticated honeybees, while helpful in many ways, can outcompete native species for resources.

​The decline is real, and it’s showing up in reduced biodiversity and even in lower crop yields.

What You Can Actually Do
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The good news? You don’t have to be a scientist or farmer to help. Small decisions make a difference—especially when they add up across a community.
In your garden:

• Plant native species. Think milkweed, goldenrod, bee balm, wild bergamot. These support pollinators from egg to adult.
• Avoid chemical sprays. Even “natural” pesticides can be harmful. Try integrated pest management or companion planting instead.
• Leave a little mess. Bare ground and hollow stems offer places to nest. That tidy fall cleanup? Maybe skip it.
• Choose variety. Different flower shapes and bloom times ensure food is available across the season.

At the market:

• Buy from growers who farm sustainably. Ask how they handle pollination and pest control.
• Support organic or low-spray farms. These often create safer habitats for pollinators.
• Talk about it. The more people understand how food and biodiversity are connected, the stronger the support becomes.

A Future Worth Growing
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We won’t fix everything overnight. But every flowering yard, every pesticide-free tomato, every native seed packet passed between neighbours—those choices ripple.

Native pollinators don’t ask for much. A few blooms. A place to rest. Less poison in the soil.

In return, they offer something we can’t do without.
Food. Colour. Life.
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And on a Saturday morning at Horton, maybe a little buzz of gratitude.