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 About 70% of our native bees are ground nesting.
Reduce the risk of conflicts with ground nesting bees. Create an
inviting habitat away from prime gardening areas. Leave warm south
facing spaces open for bees to establish their in-ground nests.
Wood and cavity nesting bees, like the leaf cutter bee, make up
about 30% of our native bee population. Others nest in hollow plant
stems so leave these, their homes, stand for winter.
Bumblebees nest in abandoned animal burrows, tree cavities, grassy
areas, or under fallen leaves. A colony usually contains a few
hundred bees. All members of the colony die in fall except the
fertilized queens. The queens look for new homes the following
spring.
Support our native bees by planting a variety of bee attracting
flowers. The plants provide food and shelter and help attract the
native bees to your landscape and bee houses.
Include plants with different colors and shaped flowers. Grow lots
of purple, blue, white, and yellow flowers that are favored by bees.
Plant flowers in mass. You will enjoy the display, the garden will
require less maintenance, and you will get the attention of the bees
you are trying to attract. Plus, bees use less energy when they can
gather lots of food from a smaller area.
Make sure you have something in bloom throughout the growing season.
Spring bulbs, wildflowers and perennials provide essential food that
is often in limited supply early in the season. Fall flowering
plants provide needed energy supplies as the bees and other
pollinators prepare for winter.
Bigger flowers are not always better. Double flowers may be showy,
but they have less nectar and pollen. The multiple layers of petals
hinder access to what nectar and pollen they contain.
Grow some herbs in the garden and containers for you and the bees.
Let some go to flower and watch for visiting bees on thyme, borage,
oregano, and other herb flowers.
Grow native plants whenever possible. They are a richer source of
nectar and pollen than cultivated plants. Native bees and other
beneficial insects have evolved with these plants, providing a
mutual benefit.
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Leave leaf litter in place and healthy perennials
including grasses stand for winter. These provide homes for some
bees and other beneficial insects. Wait as long as possible in
spring so you don’t interrupt their hibernation.
Increase living quarters by making your own native
mason bee houses. Just be sure you provide a properly designed,
clean home with needed winter protection. Do your homework first to
make sure you are not harming the native bees you are trying to
support.
The easiest method uses a bundle of hollow sticks such as bamboo,
reeds, or sumac. Cut them into short segments and remove three to
five inches of pith with wire or a drill. Consider painting the
front to make an inviting entrance for the bees. Bundle the stems
together with wire or place in a bucket or can.
Or create a solitary bee house from a block of untreated wood. Drill
holes into, but not through a block of untreated wood. The holes
should be three to five inches deep and about 5/16 of an inch in
diameter for mason bees. Nesting tubes inserted into the holes makes
for easier cleaning and storage that prevents debris and disease
from building up one season to the next.
Mount the bee house on the southeast side of a post, fence or
building. Make sure to provide a nearby mud puddle the bees will use
to seal off the individual development chambers in the holes.
Creating a bee friendly landscape not only increases your garden’s
productivity but also the number of songbirds and beneficial insects
that visit your garden. That means fewer garden pests and a more
beautiful garden for you to enjoy all season long.
Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books,
including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to
Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her web site is
www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]
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