Cape May Naturally is a bi-weekly column about birding, wildlife, and preservation in Cape May County, written by a rotating cast of experts at the New Jersey Audubon.
Nature’s spring symphony is serenading us each beautiful day in May. Birds are singing, frogs are croaking, insects are buzzing, and humans… are sneezing. Each season has its pros and cons, and spring is no exception. With long-awaited warmer weather, green leaves, and blooming flowers come dreaded seasonal allergies. In addition to sneezing, you may suffer from congestion, a runny nose, and itchy eyes. The perpetrator is pollen.
Pollen is how most plants reproduce. Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part) of a flower. Some plants depend on critters such as bees, butterflies or birds to transfer their pollen. Other plants rely on the wind to carry their pollen to another flower. These wind-pollinating plants are primarily the ones to thank for your discomfort.
The pollen grains of insect-pollinating plants are typically larger, stickier, and lodged deep within the flower of the plant. When insects or other pollinators come to feed on the nectar of the flower, the pollen grains get stuck to them and are subsequently transferred to the next flower they visit. Pollen grains of wind-pollinated plants are typically light-weight, produced in masses, and easily swept up by the breeze. And sometimes, unfortunately, up your nose.
An allergic reaction takes place when your body identifies pollen as an intruder that needs to be attacked. The body releases chemicals like histamines that cause sneezing and runny nose to expel the pollen. We then wage war against the histamines with antihistamines contained in allergy medications. The battle may be the most severe on days with a high pollen count.
A pollen count is a measurement of the average number of pollen grains in a cubic meter of air. Certain weather conditions can cause high pollen counts. Dry days with gusty winds are conducive to high pollen counts. Rainy days can be a temporary relief—the heavy rain drops knock the light-weight pollen grains out of the air and wash away pollen that has accumulated on surfaces such as your windshield and patio furniture. However, pollen counts are often high following a rainstorm as the pollen has now been broken into smaller pieces and is even more easily swept up by the wind.
Not all plants produce pollen at the same time of the year. In the spring, trees like oaks and cedars are in their pollination stage. As we head into late spring and summer many grasses start producing pollen. In the late summer and fall, ragweed, a genus of flowering species in the aster family, is a heavy hitter. But for me, spring is definitely the worst.
Is the solution to stay inside? Not with all the beauty the natural world has to offer this time of year. So, what can we do? I suggest monitoring pollen counts, taking medicine as needed, and using your suffering as an excuse to get your partner or neighbor to mow the lawn for you.
Pollen may be irritating but it is certainly important. It is necessary for healthy ecosystems, for the plants and animals that inhabit our favorite outdoor spaces. So, we sniffle and sneeze and rub our eyes through a few months of discomfort. In the grand scheme of things, it is a small sacrifice to make for the love of nature.
Emily Reed is the Interim Director of NJA’s Nature Center of Cape May
