Lisa Gillespie (B&B reader)Bees are a big deal. These unsung heroes of the planet work hard to keep our food web functioning. One in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of pollination, and 85 percent of flowering plants and trees rely on pollinators for survival.
A Sticky Situation
Many people are concerned about the decline of honeybee populations. Since 2006, Colony Collapse Disorder has wiped out nearly 3 million hives. According to the Centre for Research on Globalization in Montreal, Canada, the honeybee population has dropped by more than 30 percent. In addition, many of the 4,000 species of native bees are in decline, some verging on extinction. What happened?
“All bee species face similar stressors—poor nutrition due to a lack of flowers or monocropping, pesticide exposure, parasites and diseases,” says Phyllis Stiles, director of Bee City USA, a certification program that helps pollinator populations.
“It’s important to understand that pollinator- plant relationship because it directly affects our food.”
Hope for a Better Future
What can gardeners do to help our bees?
“Plant native plants, trees and shrubs, reduce lawns and expand the natural areas in your yard,” Phyllis says.
Cultivate a PC (pollinator-conscious) backyard by eliminating pesticides or using safer ones, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Choose plants from local nurseries that don’t treat seeds with neonicotinoid pesticides, which kill all insects by attacking the central nervous system.
Another beneficial action is to create nesting and overwintering spots for pollinators. “Seventy percent of bee species nest in the ground,” Phyllis says. “Reserving areas of dry, bare, undisturbed ground provides places for them to raise their young in the early spring.”
The remaining 30 percent of native bees nest in tunnels in stumps and snags, so leave some stumps and dead wood in your landscape. Drill holes in blocks of untreated lumber for bee habitats. If you’re feeling especially hospitable, erect a bee hotel, a structure with stacked, narrow tubes that mimics a bee’s natural living quarters. Avoid placing the bee hotel in shade, which might attract unwanted wasps.
Have it facing southeast. Bees like to be warm in the morning before heading out to gather pollen.
And become an advocate: Petition for a community or school garden, and campaign to have native plants in public spaces.
WUDWERX A bee hotel provides shelter for bees to raise their young.
Become a Bee City
Thanks to organizations such as Bee City USA, the future looks sweeter for our pollinators. Launched in 2012, the Bee City USA program supports the creation of sustainable habitats for pollinators. “Each city needs at least one champion to build a coalition for applying for Bee City USA certification,” says Phyllis. “This champion can be a city staff person, a beekeeper, a city council member, the mayor or a gardener. He or she simply has to present the case for certification to fellow citizens.” Certification from Bee City USA is both an honor and a responsibility. After certification, each Bee City has an annual celebration, usually coinciding with National Pollinator Week in June, that includes educational activities. Currently there are 15 Bee City communities in the U.S. Find out more at beecityusa.org.
Trish Waters says
Just recently read one can also help the bees by having a beekeeper’s bee hive house in ones backyard. Everything is free and either university or pro beekeeper will monitor & give tips! I just don’t remember where I saw this, sorry!
diane says
I was looking for an organization that does this! If you remember where you read it, please post… Thanks!
Hazel Oxendine says
Learning alot from this page.
Patricia O' Bryon says
Please help… I find hundreds of Hone Bees a day dead in my horse’s water dish. I eliminated the shallower dish altogether hoping the bees would find another place as it makes it difficult to my horse to get her daily intake of water. Now the bees are using my horse’s large watering trough.I can’t eliminate her water and the bees are depriving her of her much needed water. I have floated sticks and wood slices yet that doesn’t help, they are still drowning.
Thank you for any other ideas.
J Skiles says
Get a large bowl, fill it full of marbles or decorative rocks and fill it full of water! It works! The bees can safely drink this way!
Marsha says
Honey bees are taking over my humming bird feeders. I want to protect the bees but they are beginning to irritate me & my birds. I have 18 feeders & having to fill them every day
Patti Jakubs says
Are you sure they are honey bees? I’ve not seen one honey bee on my hummingbird feeders. They are either Yellow Jackets or Hornets.
Maggie Sorenson says
I get honey bees in my hummingbird feeders. I’m fine with it and the hummers don’t seem to have a problem sharing.
Susan says
We have a regular ceramic bird feeder that becomes overwhelmed with bees – such that the birds now avoid coming.
How can we provide for both safely ?
diane hull says
I love the bee hotel but how would we make 1 thank you
Kathleen M. Talkie says
Visit the Etsy.com webpage and type in “Bee Hotel” and voila! I found a page of them to buy and/or build yourself.
Carla haselhorst says
Want to put up a bee hotel but wouldn’t it bring on s tree in leaf be enough shade to attract wasps ?