Flora in the Alps: Pollinators in High Elevations

Many of our mountain flowers depend on insects for pollination and many insects depend on flowers for nectar and pollen as food. On sunny days, this intimate relationship between insects and flowers causes beautiful scenes in mountain meadows where colorful butterflies frolic from flower to flower. Did you know that flies are pollinators too?

Flies

When hiking in the Alps you often see loads of flies next to the mountain path on unspecialized flowers, such as all sorts of species with umbellifer flowers. The petals of these flowers are often white, because flies cannot distinguish colors very well. However, the characteristic yellow ball-shaped flowers of the globe flower (Trollius europaeus) are also pollinated by small flies. In fact, in our mountains, flies are the most common pollinators at high altitudes.

Bumblebees

Bumblebees are, just like flies, also of great importance for the pollination of alpine plants, because they can fly in colder and windier conditions than butterflies. Bees can fly at temperatures as low as 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit)!

Shift in pollinators at high altitude

In short, when elevation changes, a shift in pollinator groups takes place. In the Alps, beetles and bees become less abundant, while butterflies, bumblebees and particularly flies become more important at higher elevations.

When & where to look for pollinators 

Pollinators prefer sunny days. So, look for them during any hiking trip in the Alps when the sun is out. When there are flowers and sunshine, then there are definitely pollinators around!

And if you are in Chamonix starting your Tour du Mont Blanc or Chamonix to Zermatt Haute route, you can also check out the bee hotel in town. It is located just behind the church. You might see some solitary bees flying around.  

More about life in the Alps:

Mammals

Reptiles and Amphibians

Fish in High Alpine Lakes

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

Latest posts by Simone van Velzen (see all)

• The Alps: A Biodiversity Treasure Trove - December 10, 2020
• Flora in the Alps – Spotlight on the Alpenrose - June 25, 2020
• Tour du Mont Blanc Hightlight: The Contamines-Montjoie Nature Reserve - May 21, 2020