1 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Welcome new members!
Here's a great article on the topic: https://www.wired.com/2015/04/youre-worrying-wrong-bees/
That was an interesting read, and maybe I'm just a dope, but I didn't quite follow the takeaway as it applies to homeowners. I don't spray pesticides on crops, so I don't have to rethink that. To help the right kind of bees, I need to have an undisturbed patch of dirt for them to burrow in?
Comment by gymell at 05/06/2019 at 13:51 UTC*
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
There are several things that can be done to help native bees.
Obviously like you mentioned, no chemicals. But also, providing native plants, various kinds that will provide food throughout the season. Meaning those that are locally native, sourced from a nursery specializing in native plants, not cultivars, and not non natives like clover and dandelions, etc.
And also as you mentioned, providing nesting/overwintering habitat. Most native bees nest in the ground. And the queens will overwinter in the ground.
Those that are cavity nesters can use a bee nesting box, and also plant stems. So leave your garden standing all winter. Don't rake/blow leaves out of your garden beds. Cut tall plant stems in the spring, down no shorter than 12" to allow bees to nest in them.
Lastly, communicate all this to your neighbors!
Doing those things, it's really amazing what can be accomplished in a typical yard.
My garden in the winter, left standing: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/158836791[1][2]
1: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/158836791
2: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/158836791
A native bee nesting shelter: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/162690976[3][4]
3: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/162690976
4: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/162690976
An example of plant stem excavated by a carpenter bee: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/167574068[5][6]
5: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/167574068
6: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/167574068
Green sweat bee on aster, great late season food source: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/166584352[7][8]
7: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/166584352
8: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/166584352
Rusty-patched bumblebee in my garden, this is a federally listed endangered species: https://pbase.com/gymell/image/167844833[9][10]