Pollinator Value Score (PVS)
What is a Pollinator Value Score?
Not all blooms provide the same value to pollinators.
A field can look beautiful and still fall short when it comes to providing the food and resources pollinators need.
That’s why The Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund evaluates our seed mixes using a Pollinator Value Score (PVS) - a 1–5 scoring system designed to look beyond simply how many flowers are in a mix and consider the quality, timing and usefulness of those plants for pollinators.
All BBHF seed mixes score 4.0 or higher out of 5.0.
A score of 4.0+ means the mix meets BBHF’s high standard for providing meaningful pollinator value.
What Goes Into a Pollinator Value Score?
-
Pollinator Food Value
We evaluate the pollen and nectar value of the plant species in a mix, including their value to honey bees and other pollinators.
-
Bloom Timing
We look at the length and timing of bloom periods - including the important early- and late-season windows when food resources can be harder for pollinators to find.
-
Establishment & Persistence
A high-value plant only helps if it can successfully establish and remain part of the habitat. We consider how species perform within a seed mix over time.
-
Real World Pollinator Use
Field observations and the biological needs of different pollinator species help us evaluate whether plants are actually providing meaningful resources.
Why It Matters
Better seed choices can create better habitat.
A core BBHF value is getting the most benefit possible from every habitat acre we help establish.
The Pollinator Value Score helps guide the seed mixes we use across BBHF, including our Seed A Legacy program and our retail seed mixes, so we can focus on high-quality habitat with meaningful value for pollinators.
