Planting for Pollinators
The Importance
We all know bees are important, but do you know just how crucial they really are? Insect pollination is required for up to 85% of flowering plants, including over 1/3 of the crops we eat. Insect pollination increases our crop yields by an estimated 15 billion dollar value per year ( USDA ). It’s not only food crops that rely on pollinators though. There are many native plants, including endangered ones, unable to survive without pollination from specific insects and bees. Without pollination, we lose the plants we love (and need) right alongside the bees!
What Species Are At Risk?
Honeybees are crucial to the agricultural system that feeds our country. Crops such as almonds, apples, blueberries, oranges, cherries, and many more, would not exist in quantities needed to meet demand without them, but it’s not only honeybees that are feeling the effects of environmental stressors. There are almost 4000 species of bees in the US that also need our help (and over 20,000 throughout the world). An estimated 40% of insect species are declining worldwide, a sad example of which are bumblebees. In fact, you’re only half as likely to spot a bumblebee today than you were in the 1970’s ( Sorye, 2020 ). The exact numbers for most of these decimations are unknown, and probably even more dire than that. It’s a sorely underfunded research area, and insects rarely gain enough attention to make endangered species list. Our bee friends aren’t the only pollinators in trouble either, butterflies are also on the decline due to their migration networks being broken. Pollinators of all sizes need our support!
The Good News
Small efforts can make a huge difference, and there is still time to help! The main factors driving the decline of populations are habitat loss, flower forage depletion, pesticide use, and diseases. A colony of well-fed and otherwise-healthy bees is unlikely to succumb to disease, so creating more habitat and forage and reducing pesticide usage is where efforts should be focused. Here are some ways you can make an impact in your own backyard:
1. Create nesting areas
Hannah with her bees!
Leave undisturbed areas for solitary bees to nest! They love leaf litter, wood piles, and hollow reeds. You can also buy a pre-made bee “hotel” but be sure to check that the tunnels are smooth and clean them out every year! Most bees are not aggressive and will not bother you at all while out and about. Their defensive reflexes only kick in if you swat. As long as the nesting sites aren’t in high traffic areas, you’ll barely notice they’re there (besides the magic that will happen in your garden!).
2. Plant pollinator friendly forage
Pollinators love flowering herbs such as lavender, bee balm, and my personal favorite; borage! Borage is a great one that refills with nectar every 2 minutes (many others take 24 hours to refill) so interspersing these in your garden beds will really bring in the bees and increase your yields. In addition to the popular herbs, native wildflowers are the very best things you can plant for native bees. They’re low maintenance too; just sow and go, wins all around! Don’t forget to add native milkweed to your list to help the monarch migration networks! Visit local nurseries specializing in native species for the best selection of established plants. Websites like Americanmeadows.com are a great resource for seeds, but be sure to shop by region for the right species. What is native in one place may be invasive in another, so responsible planting is a must.
3. The easiest one, mow less!
Just extending to 10 days between trims (though the longer the better!) and lifting the blades at least 4 inches preserves important habitat for beneficial species of all kinds. Many “weeds” are actually native wildflowers growing in the “wrong” place! Dandelions and Spanish needle are just two examples of crucial food for bees, especially in early spring.
Nature is all around us if you invite it into your space. It doesn’t matter how much or how little land you have, it all makes a difference. The butterflies and the bees will thank you!
For more resources, follow me, Hannah Mather, @hannahshoneycomb on social media and check out:
https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation https://www.usda.gov/pollinators https://www.americanmeadows.com/wildflower- seeds/wildflower-mix/regional-pollinator-wildflower-seed- mixes (Be sure to shop by region for the most beneficial seeds for your local pollinators) Soroye, P., Newbold, T.; Kerr, J. (2020, February 07).
Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6478/685