Bees, hummingbirds, bats and insects may be small and go unnoticed, but without them, all life would struggle to survive. The USDA reports that 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of food crops we love, like avocado, watermelon, almonds, and many more, depend on pollinators to reproduce.

It may be easier to grow food in Nevada’s arid climate than Mars, but not by much (only about 9% of the state’s land is cropland). Yet hard-working pollinators are still valuable here, too.

“When maintaining our own garden, we need those bees and insects to help keep our little environment performing at its best,” arborist Ken Busse says.

Insects are little demolition workers that break down debris and matter in our soils and keep the dirt healthy. Butterflies and moths—while they may be destructive pests as caterpillars—are useful pollinators, and as grubs they feed on fallen leaves.

These pollen spreaders also contribute to the development of new plants. And of course, the helpful honeybee keeps your personal vegetable and herb gardens alive and beautiful.

“They can pollinate across all kinds of plants in our little gardens that we maintain,” Busse says.

Growing native flowering plants like salvias, buckwheats and milkweeds in clumps (rather than scattering them through the landscape) can help attract pollinators to your garden. Also, planting a variety of plants that bloom in different seasons will keep pollinators around year-round. Most importantly, plant in the sun, avoid pesticides that are poisonous and don’t forget to water your garden.

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