Wild pollinators
Wild pollinators are native animals aiding in the pollination of both agricultural and wild plants. Most often differents groups of insects like bees, bumblebees, wasps, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles are refered as wild pollinators. In the tropics also more than a 1000 species of vertebrates such as birds or mammals also pollinate the plants. Tropical species of bats are especially important.
Wild bees
In Slovenia, 565 wild bee species have been evidented so far. Among them the majority of bees live a solitary life. Each female bee builds the nest by herself and takes care for its offspring by herself. Their sizes vary from 3 mm to 2.5 cm. The largest is the giant carpenter bees (Xylocopa violacea).
Among wild bees, bumblebees, are the best adapted to the cold climate and, therefore, they live also high in the mountains. The bumblebees are sole pollinators of tomatoes, blueberries and kiwi.
