When we talk about bees and pollination, most people automatically think of honeybees. And it’s true. Honeybees do a lot of pollination for us, plus, they make us honey. So, we consider them to be a valuable resource. But did you know that honeybees are not native to the United States? And that 80% of the flowering plants in the world are pollinated by native pollinators? Native pollinators are really important and under-appreciated. Unfortunately, due to pesticide use, habitat loss, competition from honeybees etc. many of the native pollinators are struggling to survive or going extinct.
We want to take a moment to highlight native pollinators, and how you can promote their presence in your yard.
Pollinators are not just bees. Some plants are pollinated by birds, butterflies, moths, bats, beetles and flies. Many of these pollinators are beneficial to our ecosystem not only for their pollination service, but also for things like biological pest control. A good example are parasitic wasps. They kill pests and rely on having a nectar source for survival. In this article, we going to mainly focus on native bees. In a future article we will take a more in depth look at some of the other types of pollinators.
Not only are pollinators a diverse group, but many are specialized and better at pollinating certain plants than the generalist honeybee is. Some pollinators, like bumble bees, are willing to work at much cooler temperatures and in poorer weather than honeybees. This can be important for pollinating early spring flower plants like fruit trees.
There are about 4,000 species of native bees in the United States. They come in an amazing array of color, shapes and size. Most native bees are fundamentally very different than the honeybee. Honeybees are somewhat unique in that they form huge colonies that overwinter. Most native bees are solitary, and they often nest in the ground. And unlike honeybees, who will travel miles to forage acres and acres of land, most native bees don’t venture far from their nest. Some of them only as far as a couple hundred yards. They absolutely need to have access to ample nectar and pollen resources close to suitable nesting sites.
The best part about native bees is that most of them don’t sting, and they are generally very peaceful.
Despite having so many pollinators in our gardens that its hard to take a picture of a flower without one, we have no problems with them bothering us. We have had bumble bee colonies (which can sting) nest right next to our walkway. They gave us not a single problem all season despite walking past them many times a day. If you are concerned about getting stung by encouraging bees in your yard, don’t be. You can safely encourage a plethora of pollinators to make homes in your yard without fear of getting stung. Just be sure that you do not antagonize them. Leave them alone, and they’ll likely do the same to you.
How do we encourage native pollinators?
Our native pollinators really only need a few things to thrive. They need a reliable food source all season long. This needs to be near suitable sites for nesting and overwintering. Lastly, they need to be in a pesticide free area where they can forage without being killed. With a little effort you can easily provide this in your backyard.
You can provide pollen and nectar sources by planting a wide variety of flowering plants that will bloom all season. Since you are trying to feed diversity, diversity in plants is ideal. A couple acres of perfectly manicured grass and boxwood shrubs might be appealing to our desire for order, but it might as well be the Sahara Desert for native bees. And yeah, those dandelions that humans despise are an important, reliable food source for pollinators particularly in early spring.
It is also important to provide good nesting and overwintering sites.
These often look like wild, unkempt areas. Ground nesting bees typically like semi-bare soil areas, wood nesting bees need places like dead trees and hollow stems, and bumble bees like to nest in places like abandoned rodent burrows. They need leaf litter, tall grass, dead plant stems, logs, rock piles etc. for overwintering sites to protect them from the elements. In a nutshell, these pollinators need access ‘natural’ areas. And we can easily provide these areas with a little thought and planning.
Try to incorporate some more ‘wild’ areas into your landscape design and avoid over zealously cleaning up your gardens and yards during the fall and winter months. If you do you will likely be throwing out or accidentally killing many of your native pollinators and other beneficial insects. They are relying on things like dead, hollow plant stems and leaf litter to overwinter. If you are interested in learning more about how to create pollinator habitats in your landscape, the Xerces Society has an excellent publication on it.
Lastly, avoid using pesticides if at all possible.
If you do have to use pesticides, try to opt for those with minimal effects on bees. Only spray them on non-flowering plants or when bees are not present. Keep in mind that a yard does not need to be insect or even pest free to be beautiful, healthy, and productive. It is our opinion that if you create a healthy ecosystem in you yard, you will have very few pest problems that require pesticides. If you have been spraying a lot of pesticides, it may take a few years for a large enough population of beneficial insects to return and for things to re-balance.
Part of creating a healthy ecosystem is also proper plant selection. While many people scream native plants only. Not all environments are suitable for all plants, including native ones. We firmly believe right plant in the right place is more appropriate than native vs non-native. Non-native plants are not inherently bad, and some natives are plagued with pest and disease problems.
Many plants, while native, are really not adapted to a given environment that we have created. Many non-native plants are rich resources for wildlife and pollinators. So rather than getting hung up on whether a plant is native, focus on whether it is a good food source for pollinators, and whether it is adapted to thrive under your local conditions.
We hope this has inspired you to join us in supporting native pollinators. With a little effort and a few changes, you can help prevent native pollinators from starving to death Plus, you can have an amazing array of beautiful, beneficial insects gracing your garden like we do.
If you would like to learn more about what we are doing on our farm, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter!
Please remember
The information provided is for general informational purposes only. All information on the site is provided in good faith, for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on this Site. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of professional advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. View full disclaimer here.
