Love and Protect Our Native Bees … They Work for Us

Almost everyone loves berries, apples, tomatoes. But without pollinators we either wouldn’t have any at all, or the fruits would be smaller. Our harvest depends on the bees that pollinate the flowers. While honeybees have received most of the press, our native bees can often do a much better job. In fact, honeybees can’t pollinate some crops such as squash and tomatoes, and are not effective at pollinating blueberries. Native bees sonicate, or vibrate to release pollen and they work faster as well. But, like the honeybee, they are also in trouble. We can do our part to save them by 1) providing nesting areas 2) providing nectar and pollen producing flowers, and 3) not using pesticides.

70% of bee species nest in the ground. Leaving part of your garden untilled, with the soil exposed, allows digger bees to nest there. You may observe bees flying low over the ground and disappearing into small holes. These bees will not sting unless you were to pinch one. Bumblebees look for burrows or dark protected places to build their nests. A bumblebee nest should not be moved. Enjoy watching it; you won’t be hurt. This is the best time of year to look for bees nesting. Mason bees are looking for holes and cracks in which to build their nests. You can provide a nesting block by drilling holes 3/8” in diameter. They can be bought ready-made or you can make them yourself. I drilled holes in a split piece of firewood and within 2 days I had a number of bees laying eggs and provisioning the cells. Within 4 days, some of them had already been sealed with mud. Get out and enjoy our tiny winged friends.

Sally Vogel
Reprinted from the May 2016 Panorama News