GED language arts practice test: a free reading and grammar drill

Walk through the produce section of any supermarket and you are looking at the work of bees. Apples, almonds, blueberries, cherries and squash all depend heavily on insects to carry pollen from one flower to another. Without pollination, many of these plants produce little or no fruit.

Honeybees are the best-known pollinators because beekeepers can move them. Each spring, trucks carry hives across the country so the bees can work in orchards for a few weeks before moving to the next crop. But honeybees are only part of the story. Thousands of wild bee species, many of them small and solitary, also pollinate crops and wild plants. Some, such as bumblebees, are better than honeybees at pollinating tomatoes, because they shake pollen loose by vibrating their flight muscles.

In recent decades, beekeepers have reported losing a large share of their colonies each year. Scientists point to several causes acting together: parasites such as the varroa mite, diseases, poor nutrition when bees feed on a single crop, and certain pesticides. Wild bees face many of the same threats, along with the loss of the meadows and hedgerows where they nest.

Farmers and homeowners can help. Planting a variety of flowers that bloom from spring to fall gives bees food across the season. Leaving some bare ground and old stems provides nesting sites. Following pesticide labels, especially warnings about spraying while plants are in bloom, protects bees that are visiting the flowers. Small steps on many farms and in many yards can add up to a large difference.