The ecosystem services provided by pollinators are invaluable. Pollination is considered an "essential service" and pollinators aid in the production of billions of dollars worth of agricultural products annually. One study by A.M. Klein et al. calculated that approximately 35% of the world's crop production is dependent on pollinators; supporting the adage that one out of every three bites of food you eat is brought to you by a pollinator. Of the 115 crops surveyed, 87 depended on animal pollinators to some extent (Reference: Pollinators help one-third of world's crop production, says new study; Sarah Yang In UC Berkeley News, October 25, 2006).

The most widely used agricultural pollinator is the honey bee (Apis mellifera), although many native bees currently aid in crop pollination. Recent honey bee declines due to disease and pesticide use have caused concern among agricultural producers. What will happen if honey bee populations continue to dwindle?  Many agricultural producers and scientists are looking at the honey bee decline as a signal that they need to rely more heavily on native pollinators and on more than one species to pollinate crops. However, many native pollinators are also in decline because of pesticide use, habitat loss and degradation, monocultures, and the introduction of exotic species.

Pollinators benefit more than just crops. Pollinators also support the maintenance of biodiversity in the ecosystems they inhabit and are known as keystone species in many terrestrial habitats. Biodiversity of pollinators in agricultural systems is critical to pollination, and likewise, pollination is critical to maintaining biodiversity in these systems.

"Because insects are so inconspicuous, or perhaps because the system worked fine without much intervention in the past, the level of general public awareness, or even specialized awareness among farmers and agronomists, remains quite low. The fact is that ecosystem services provided by pollinators are essential for food production and contribute to the sustainable livelihoods of many farmers world-wide," said Linda Collette, an FAO crop biodiversity specialist (Reference: Protecting the Pollinators; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department, FAO Magazine Spotlight, December 2005).