MCR Monthly Newsletter

September 2025

A POLLINATOR is an animal that moves pollen from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma or pistol (female part) this leads to the fertilization of the ovule which develops into key foods that humans and other animals rely on…. such as fruits and nuts like apples, almonds, strawberries, melons, and pollinator-dependent crops like alfalfa which is essential for livestock like dairy cows to produce milk, yogurt, and butter! As you can see these pollinators are SUPER IMPORTANT in maintaining a well-balanced ecosystem and providing ecosystem services. Bottom line – WE NEED THEM!!!  In fact, according to the National Academy of Sciences, close to 75% of the flowering plants on earth rely to some degree on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit. From these plants comes one-third of humankind’s food and even greater proportion of the food for much of our wildlife!!

Pollinators can be birds, bees, (yes, yawn!, the birds and the bees again!), wasps, bats, hover flies, butterflies, beetles, even male mosquitoes (only female mosquitoes draw blood), basically a pollinator is any organism that frequents blooming flowers or buds and can transport that pollen to other flowers or buds of the same plant species.

I hope visitors may have noticed there are several areas within Merrill Creek Reservoir where there are now pollinator gardens. These can be found behind the MCR Visitors Center, at the side of the Visitor Center where the water feature is, at the Inlet/outlet tower and the boat launch area parking lots.  These areas are essential for various pollinators as they are planted with various vegetation that bloom at different times of the year so that there is always something available for the pollinators to forage on.  These areas are islands of nectar and safe haven for pollinators, so please don’t pick the flowers at MCR because pollinators need them to survive and we need the pollinators for our own survival.  Some examples of the native plants that we have in these pollinator gardens are:  Joe Pye Weed, Broad leaf Mt Mint, Narrow leave Mt Mint, Golden Alexanders, Cup-plant, Wild Bergamot, Bee Blaum, Various Goldenrod species, Cardinal Flower, Blue lobelia, NY Aster, Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Fox-glove beard Tongue, Yellow Wild Indigo, Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Dense Blazingstar, Blackeyed Susan, Partridge Pea, Hairy Beardtongue, Blue Mistflower, New England Aster, Culver’s Root, Blue Vervain,  and Smooth Blue Aster

Also, in some of the gardens we have “Bee Hotels” that provide essential nesting sites for cavity-nesting solitary bees, thus supporting pollinator populations and biodiversity. Come see these awesome animals in our pollinator garden!   Yes! There are always Bees hovering around but don’t be alarmed; they are preoccupied with gathering nectar and not interested in stinging you. You just happen to be there too!   FUN FACT: New Jersey is home to approximately 350 species of native pollinating bees, in addition to the non-native European honeybee!

Summer is almost over; soon beautiful goldenrods and other fall foliage will paint our landscape with SPECTACULAR colors. I hope you get some great pictures of fall colors and look for migrating monarch butterflies!

Remember take only memories and leave only footprints!

Thank You,

Ranger Rich